The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-06
ALASKA MAIL SERVICE
Only One Mail q Year at Circle
City.
CONTRACTOR is FROZEN IN
Indians Along the Porcupine Are starv-
ing to Death-A Dangerous Element
at Fort Yukon-No Adequate Pro-
lection I o Lie and Property.

Washington, April 5.-Secretary Al
ger has received some interesting re-
ports from Captain p. H. Ray of the
Eighth infantry. who was sent to Alas
ka to keep the war department in
formed as to the condition Of affairs
there resulting from the large immi-
grafton to that territory, as a result Of
the gold excitement. The latest Of
these reports is dated Fort Yukon. Dec.
20. a little more a month later than
those previously received.
In n of his communications the
captain calls attention to the d~eplorable
condition of the mail service In Alaska.
The regular contractor brought but one
a al tar as Circle City this year..
and has sent none out. There Is no
provision for forwarding mail west Of
Circle City in the winter. The post
master for Circle City Is somewhere in
the states; his assistant has been put
out OF the Office for drunkenness. The
postoffice department has failed to pro-
vide the p~ostoffice with any postage
stamps, and the mail that comes in by
steamer via st. Michaels is without any
proper supervision.
There are no route agents. and the
officers OF the companies handling the
mail pay little or no attention to 1t.
The present mail contractor Is frozen In
somewhere about the mouth OF the
Tanannah, and IL il to be regretted, the
captain says, that contracts are award
ed to men who do not understand the
conditions existing in the territory, n
who seem to be financially and men,
tally incapable Of fulfilling their obli-
cations.
In another report the captain says
that the migration of people of the
Northwest Territory mas about ceased.
From parties direct from Dawson he
learns that those who are without pro-
visions to last them until the opening
of navigation are going out by the way
of Junea From his knowledge of the
conditions existing at Fort Yukon n
reliable information from Dawson City
he does not believe there will be any
loss or starvation among the whites.
The Indians along the Porcupine and
Juan de Leur are starving. Couriers
have come in begging that food be sent
out, as the women n children are
dying along the trail. The captain sent
food, and said he would do all he could
to keep them from perishing. There
are about 140, all told, in two bands.
They report that the caribou migration
did not come their way. and the first
catch last fall was almost an entire
failure.
Nearly all their dogs have persisted
from want of food, leaving them help
less. The captain says the civil au-
thorities are not furnishing any pro-
lection to life and property. and are
powerless to do so with the meager
machinery at their command.
There is a dangerous element gath
cred at Fort Yukon that was forced out
of Dawson. who show some disposition
to be troublesome. but the captain says
he hopes to be able to keep them I'M
der control. Should the army be given
any authority to act next spring, he
suggests hat a small detachment Of
troops under a discreet officer be sent
up the river by the first boat. 1t can
be used 20 guard the first boats COM
ing down the river with treasure, n
will have an extremely good effect.
There have been no new discoveries
of gold reported either in Alaska or the
Northwest Territory. The captain avs
he has not received n communication
from the var department since he left
the United States.