The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-03-23
CRUISE OF THE "wHEELING.p
.Intert,tlns Story O me G Alas.

ihtertatlhS STORY OF Tie Goverhoro OF Alas
lsn's Ii.pec,ion Trip.
WASHINGTON, March 22,-secre-,
tary Bliss to-day made public an Inter.
esting letter from John G. Brady, OF
Alaska, containing the observations
made by him while on his annual trip
otsinspection TO the various points on
the coast aboard the United States
ship Wheeling Il
While passing up the Lynn canal the
governor says the. officers of the ship
saw a piece of.wreckagr which was aft
forwards ascertained to be a part Of the
Inflated steamed Clara Nevada, OF
whose crew or passengers not one was
leftfto teliithe tale Special attention.
the executive says, should be paid to
vessels navigating the Yukon, the traf-
iic on which is so large that the ten.
dency Is to take great risks. h ~
The Wheeling after leaving ,Dyea
called at the native village Mt the north
of ChichaSof land called HooI.oh. Here
one of heileading men of the village
had been accidentally killed by child
sig years Of age. The people never,
take any account OF accidents anu the,
her people responsible and demanded
cplratior, which was given, q body Of
200 men thoroughly armed going TO a
native village near K.llisnoo, at which
place the chRd's mother and her people
belonged. and compelling them to turn
overmnny blankets trunks and money
The foreigners admon!shed the natives
and told them their, Old customs wcLld
not be tolerated. is sii s @
From this polnt the Wheeling pro-
ceeded to Yakutat, where, upon inves-i
tlgatIoT, Il was found that Esar,y every
thing that had been reported 10 the,
navy department regarding To condi-'
ton OF affairs there was correct
The governor has considerable TO say,
about the practice Of witchery, wh.eh
seems to exist TO n Considerable extent,
In that part OF the country. He tells
of 4 man and two women, who were
bouEd and tied for bewitchiES ~ man.
On the ninth day. the bound man was
released and as ne had nothing 10, eat
and but a few drinks OF water he was
in fearful physical condition. The
governor; spent some rIHlat taking to
these people. and after explaining the
laws of the United States told them that
in the future he would not deal lementiy
with those who practice witchcraft.
Captain Sebree, of the Wheeling. had
his men practice with the guns OF the
vessel us q useful object, lesson. 10 the
natives. 4.
There were about a dozen miners at
Yakutat waiting to proceed to the head
Of Disenchantment Bay. Thence they
were to cross over the glacier TO the
Olesels river. where they intended TO
prospect and afterwards to the White
river and get back to the st. Elias
range ofmorrtains. 4;
The. Wheeling returned TO Sitka. Her
cruise. In the governors opinion, had
done great good to the natives. as they
dreaded n gunboat more than anything
else. He says he is convinced II is time
TO take the natives vigorously In hand
and break up the witcncraft, distillins
of rum and manufacturing OF beer and
compel them to conform to our laws
in ALL respects. The native who COM
mits murder or any crime on another
native does not escape with the pun
ishment that this government meets out
TO him. but is held accountable: also
under the tribal custom. (. Z
The executive concludes by saying
that IL backed up by the goodwill aid
force OF the navy department he feels
sure he can do much to correct existing
conditions during his term OF office.