The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-04

Seattle, Wash, March 3.-Five steam
srs arrived from Alaska today, the
Utopia, Nueneme, Del Norte, Protection
and Queen. The Queen brought the
latest news, having left Skaguay last
Sunday.
The most important news brought
down was a confirmation of previous re-
ports that the Canadian officials had
raised the British flag on what is re-
garded as American soil, and trouble
at Skaguay with longshoremen, who
objected to Indians unloading freight
from steamers.
FEARS OF TROUBLE.
1t is feared that serious trouble will
grow out of the Canadians attempt to
collect duty on the summit of White
and Chilkat passes and the Americans
Will resist the payment of duty on what
they consider American ground. An
other complication has arisen through
the various tramways which are being
constructed to carry freight over the
passes. The officials of these tramWayS
are. reported to have declared that any
interruption with their construction
work or any attempt to exercise any
right of ownership viii be resisted.
1t is thought at Dyea and Skaguay
that the movements of the American
authorities will be to claim sovereignty
over those two places. Last summer
the boundary line was at Lake Bennett,
then at Lindermann, and now at the
summit of the mountains, which is
only about 20 miles from salt water.
START OVER THE TRAILS.
Two days before the queen left Skag-
uay the wind, which had blown from
the north oDtinUously for seven
weeks, shifted and began TO blow from
the southwest, causing general thaw
to set in. The change in the weather
caused hundreds of people, who had
been detained by the severe cold, to
start over the trails from both Skaguay
and Dyea, and when the steamer left
a general exodus from both towns was
taking place. Both trails are reported
in excellent condition
On the trip down the Queen passed
the Cottage City a short distance south
of Wrangel Narrows. The latter ship
had evidently had trouble, as her bow
YVES smashed in and covered with can
vas to keep out the water.
GENERAL DENIAL.
E. r. Knapp of Boston, Mass, ar
rived here today from Skaguay.
In reference to the report that martial
law had been proclaimed at Skaguay,
~
no such action had been taken, neither
was it anticipated. Mr.. Knapp also said
that the reports of deaths at Dyea,
Skaguay. and on the trails had been
very much exaggerated. He had made
a personal examination and ascertaned
that since November there had been ~
deaths at Skaguay and 13 at Dyea. This
is not at all large, considering the pop
ulation of the two places
The report that two men from Daw-
son had persisted on the White pass
with a large amount of gold dust on
them is said by Mr.. Knapp to have no
foundation.
TWO RIVAL TOWNS.
The rivalry between the towns of
Slxaeuav and Dyea is characterized by
Mr.. Knapp as being lat white heat"
and this is the reason he thinks that so
many exaggerated stories Of death and
hardship are sent out. Each town is
doing all it can to throw discredit on
the other.
CANADIAN TERRITORY.
Vancouver, b. G, March 3.-Commis-
sione- A. b. Perry, northwest mounted
police who returned from Lake Ben
nett this morning. said: I was pres
ent when the British flag was hoisted
at Summit lake. The police are collect
ing duties there. Summit lake is Cana
dian territory and is not even disputed
by the United States government"
-'IIrsder the treaty it is English ter
ritorv wherever there is a definite sum-
nit. but where there is no summit the
boundary is to start ten marine leagues
from the coast AS there is definite
summit at the end of Skaguay trail,
the customs house has been removed
there and the British flag hoisted."
Ottawa, Ont, March 3.-When shown
the Victoria dispatch stating that re-
ports from Skaguay had confirmed the
report that the British flag had been
raised at summit Lake, also that the
Canadian government intended estab-
fishing a custom house at Crater Lake,
both places being in disputed territory,
Minister of the Interior Sifton said to-
night:
This is an old story revived. There is
a Canadian customs post at Summit,
but il is not in disputed territory. The
British flag has not been raised, and
customs ports were not being establish
ed in disputed territory. There is moth
ing in the story.