The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-20

til that time 1t was unknown. Now not
a tongue but speaks IT.
The term itself has been variously at
tributed It is supposed by many TO be
the name of a river meaning deer. Others
say 1t is a half Indian, half Spanish word,
a sort of patois signifyng the same as
Eureka or Il have found it." sim others
insist that the word Klondike came from
a curious word used by the Indians TO
denote snowy hills ana impossible regions
AT first it was spelled "Klondyck," then
it became "ClondylSe" and then 'ISlon-
dyke" Now popular consent spells it
'fKlondike."
In 1867, when the United States bought
Alaska from Russia, on account of the
fisheries, no one had any idea that this
country would be the scene of the great
est gold fever that ever ragged on the face
of the earth Gold was known to exist
there in the soil just as we now find it
in Mexico and different parts of the Uni
ted States, but no presage of it's present
furore was given to the world.
The only man who saw such a future
for Alaska at that time was Cassius Mar
ceilus Clay. who was then Minister to
Russia, appointed by Abraham Lincoln.
Clay knew there was gold there, and he
determined that the United States should
own Alaska. His outward object was the
fishery of Alaska and the desrabihty of
owning ii for the United States. He al
ways feared that a foreign fleet. less
friendly that Russia, might take possess
sion of the peninsula and menace North
America.
He, after tireless effort negotiated the
sale of Alaska to the United States for
$1,000 600. This sum would be a beggarly
pittance TO pay for IL now, as fortunes
of that size are taken from its mountain
sides every month. But in those days it
Cassius NJ. Clay negotiated the SAFE.
Cassius NJ. Clay is the Father of the
Klondike" and this is the story of the
purchase as told by himself.
When / was appointed Minister to Rus
STA by Abraham Lincoln Mr.. Seward was
Secretary of State. He was a candidate
before the people for the Presidency of
the United States in conjunction with LIN
coin. Douglas, Chase and others. l final
ly settled upon Lincoln in preference to
Seward, so he remained my enemy as long
as he remained in office.
When I reached my post Of duty at st.
Petersburg l found the Russians as well
acquainted with my public life as the Eng
lish, and almost as well as the Americans
themselves They knew a great deal
about the movements in this country, ana
my history, and therefore we were in i'm
mediate sympathy. Now, about this time
Perry Med. Collins made a trip in ST.
Derld through 10 81 GFleISDuIH. Inns L
believe was the first through country of
which an account was published. 1t was
proposed to erect a telegraph over the
route taken, for all The world follows in
the track OF a telegraph as II was said
OF cd 'ievery road leads TO Rome"
was asked to have charter granted fav-
oring this enterprise, and ] secured one
of the most favorable character.
In addition, they gave rebate or bounty
for every message from America over
Russian land as an induccment to the
company to build the line. Hiram Sibley
was then president Of the Western Union
Telegraph Company The stock rose
above par in America ana Europe, but at
the same time the threatened conflict be-
tween the European powers and America
turned the attention of the Russian gov
eminent to the civil war, which broke out
here a little before l went as minister
plenipotentary. A man named Benjamin
Perkins, New England shipper-during
the Crimean war was induced 70 load a
ship with ammunition and to run the
risks OF the blockade Of those besieglng
Sebastapoi to sell the cargo at a good
price to the Russians. Had Mr.. Perkins
succeeded in getting his cargo ready he
might have accomplished something, but
he did nothing Of what the Russian agent,
LiIienfeldt, expected him to do, and fail
ing as he did, / knew before I went into
Office that nothing was due him l said
that America had no legal claims what