The record-union., 1898-11-25

days each for each inhabitant. The
total number of school pupils in the
country, in elementary public mad pri-
vate schools, colleges, universities, high
schools and academies, is put at 16,-
255O93.
The reindeer and Lapland drivers in
Alaska have largely passed into the
service OF the Postoffice Department,
and are now being distributed for car
rying the Yukon mail up and down the
valley of the United States through
thousand miles of scattered mining
settlements in the wilderness.
The report makes no mention of the
recommendation of the Commissioner
of Railroads Longstreet for the. gov
ernment construction and operation of
a new transcontinental trunk line from
Kansas City to San Diego.
secretary Bliss, summing up the re-
port of Governor Brady of Alaska,
calls attention to the difficulty of pre-
venting the smuggling of liquor into
Alaska, it being impossible to enforce
present regulations without fleet of
revenue cutters and steam launches to
patrol the tortuous channels of south
east Alaskan waters.
Smuggling prevails, and saloons are
open in all of the towns and mining
camps The Governor reports con-
sensus of opinion in favor of strin-
gent high license law, which would
tend to stamp out smuggling and liquor
selling to the natives. The application
to Alaska of the liquor laws in force
in the District of Columbia, with sew
eral minor notifications, is urged as
meeting a majority approval The Cow
ernor. believes that Alaska should and
can pay revenue into the United States
Treasury. Under high license law
he estimates that the liquor traffic
would yield an annual revenue of not
less than $500, 600; tax of a few cents
per case on salmon would produce from
$4,000 to $4,000; 10 cents a ton of
wharfage collected during the past
year would have yielded 100000 He
recommends, however, that any sys-
tenn of taxation for the Territory be
deferred until land laws shall have
been provided Many sections of
Alaska, it is shown, are suitable for
agricultural purposes. With proper
care cattle can be raised in the milder
districts.
The fur seal are doomed to extinc-
ton, unless all pelagic sealing can be
stopped. The branding of female seals
has rived a success. The brands
render the pelts valueless. and show
that the United States has a property
right to the animal.
The raising of blue foxes is becoming
an important industry. The hunting
of the sea otter has been SO unremit-
ting that few are now left. The Gov
ernor recommends that the killing of
them be prohibited for long time.
Representation in Congress for the
citizens of Alaska is strongly urged.
The past year has been one of great
progress in mining operations. Many
Americans who located claims in the
Northwest Territory have abandoned
them. and have settled on the Alaskan
side of the international boundary line,
where a new town, Eagle City, has
sprung up. There has been great de-
velopment in quartz mining in South
east Alaska, and along the coast as
far as Unalaska Coal has been dis
covered near the Upper Yukon, the
Tanana and on Prince William Sound.
Public buildings at Sitka are urgently
needed for the accommodation of the
officials. 1t is recommended that Con-
gress appropriate $4,000 for the erec-
sA3za &C aspenitentiary and other build
ings. An appropriation of 100000 for
the education of children in Alaska is
earnestly recommended.
Attention is called to the fact that
the rapid increase of the number Of
vessels plying Alaskan waters necessi-
tates the erection of many lighthouses
Other recommendations include a
monthly service between Sitka and
Unalaska; cable connection between
the United States and Alaska: en-
largement of administrative authority
and extension Of the land laws to at
least the settled portions.
The other Territorial reports all
claim material progress, and urge i'm
mediate recognition as States.
Assistant Secretary of the Interior
Webster Davis in his annual report
says the 122, 6S1 appeals from the Pen
sion Bureau and 626 motions for re-
consideration filed during the year
make UP a number unprecedented in
any one year or two years in the his
tory of the Board of Appeals. The pro-
portionate increase still continues and
on October 1st last there were II, $50
such appeals and motions pending, and
Secretary Bliss concurs in Assistant
Secretary Davis recommendation for
providing for three additional members
of this board and for additional legis-
lation.