Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1898-01-01
ALASKA
Interest in Our Far-Of Country II
Growing Rapidly.

Interest in Our Far-Of Country To
Growing Rapidly.
The Civil and Judicial District" OF
Alaska has of late begun to attract
some serious attention from the people
Df the United States. Nine out of ten
or us probably speak of it as a Terri
tory; but such 1t has never become
Gold. and disputed boundary line,
will always suffice to draw attention To
any particular part of the earths sur
face, Venezuela and South Africa are
cases In point. In the case of Alaska,
as in many other boundary disputes,
the trouble can be traced to dehcien-
cy of geographical knowledge on the
part of the makers of treaty.
When the convention of 1925 was rat
flied by England and Russia. it was
thought that Il mountain range ram
parallel to the coast of what is now
southeastern Alaska. The summit OF
that range was made part of the bOun.
dairy between the Russian province and
British America. But though there are
plenty of mountains, there is no coastal
range. 1t was further provided that
wherever the summit of this mythical
range should lie more thar ten marine
leagues from the coast the line should
run parallel TO the windinas Of the
coast, but not more than ten marine
leagues therefrOm.
10 this clause some uncertainty has
been attached by the raising Of the
question, What is the coast? Is 1t the
coast of the mainland or the seward
edge of the adjacent islands? Other
difficulties lie in determining the true
"Portland Channel" through which the
southeastern boundary of Alaska runs;
and in determining the one hundred
and fortY-tirSt meridian of west longi
tude, which is the northcrnmoSt part
of the eastern boundary.
None of these questions were ever
pressed while Alaska was Russian
province. Until quite recent years
they never caused any controversy he
tween England and America. 1t is the
growing sense of the importance Of
Alaska, particularly of its mines, that
makes them practical questions. n
would, perhaps. never have been ncces-
sary 10 determine the one hundred and
fortY-tirst meridian, if the discovery
had not been made that it runs close to,
Or through, some promising deposits of
gold.
OF these deposits the latest report Of
! the United States Geological Survey
declares that they form belt three
| hundred miles long, entering the dis
! trict near Forty mile Creek and extend
| ing westward across the Yukon Valley
In southeastern Alaska, the narrow
coast belt whose width is still to be
! finally determined, there are gold de-
posits which are already being miudd
! successfully. There are also important
fishing and canning industries.
The experience of the year past Is
enough to assure us that the boundary
question will be peaceably settled In
the end, whether the present plan of
a commission is successful or not. But
Alaska has other difficulties. 1t has
! been asking for better land laws and
/ for a representative In Congress. The
/ Settlers-numbering now between thir-
/ ty and forty thousand-are anxious to
be recognized, not as adventures, but
as an orderly community.
A government official was recently
Indicted for indicating in an official re-
port, that there was n state of laWless-
ness among them. The pioneers in tho
westward march of the American peo-
pie have always been quick TO develop
healthy pride in the regions they have
settled.-Youth's Companion.