The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1898-04-07
THE REDWOOD GAZETTE.
BY AIKEN E. SCHMAHL.
THURSDAY, APRIL Z, 1898.
ALASKA POINTERS.
A Big Country, Its Discovery and
How We Got 1t.

A Big Country, Its Discovery and
How We Got 1t.
To THE EDITOR: With your per-
mission 1 will say something to your
readers about the great unorganized
territory bounded by the Arctic sea on
the north and by the Pacific ocean on
the west and south, and which just at
the present is so much in the public
mind.
The vast region forming the north
west coast of North America called
Alaska was originally known as Rus
sian America. The name Alaska, was
at first confined to long narrow
peninsula stretching south westerly
into the Pacific, now known as ALASKA
Peninsula, but has been extended to
the whole territory.
"Alaska comprises the whole of
North America from al degrees west
longitude to Behring strait and also
numerous islands along the coast,
notably Prince of Wales, King George
Archipelago, the Kodiak Islands, and
the Alentain Islands, which stretch
seward from the extremity of the
peninsula. From the main portion of
the territory narrow strip with a
breadth of about so miles extends
southeast along the Pacific coast and
terminates at the confines of British
Columbia in 81 deg. and 40 minutes
north latitude"
From north to south the extreme
length of Alaska is about 1,1OO miles
and the greatest breadth from east to
west is 800 miles. The area of the
whole territory is estimated at SD, 200
square miles. Vitus Behring, dis
tinquished navigator of the Russian
navy, who commanded scientific
expedition to the sea of Kamtchatka
in 1725, made the discovery that Asia
and America we're separated by water
"a rait-which now bears his name.
On second voyage to the same To-
cality in 1741 he discovered portion
of the American continent and it fol-
lowed, that the Russians acquired
possession of the territory by right Of
discovery and settlements we're made
at various places, chiefly for the prose-
cution of the fur trade. At the first
it was considered as an independent
province, but later in 1899 the
Emperor Paul granted to the Russo
American Fur Co. the exclusive right
of hunting and fishing in the Ameri-
can waters of the Gar and other rights
and privileges, which practically
placed the whole country under their
management. The charter expired in
1889 and was renewed until 1863, at
which time Russia refused to renew
It,
The territory. by reason Of it's To-
cation, separated by half a continent
and an ocean from the capitol of
Russia, with no means of tranporta-
ton except to round Cape of Good
Hope, had from the first been an
elephant, heavy burden, and bill of
expense to its seemingly lucky dis
coverer and so it came about that
after the expiration of the Fur Co.'s
grant Russia was in the market for a
purchaser, naturally approached the
United States, with the result that by
treaty, concluded in 1867, ratified by
the senate on May Goth of that year,
the territory was bought for the sum
of $7,2OO,OOO.
VIM. H. Seward was secretary of
State at the time and it is due largely
to his management, with the bel p of
Roscoe Conklin, at that time senator
from New York, and few others who
proved to be wiser than their fellows
that the purchase was carried through,
in opposition to strong public senti-
ment as voiced by the public press
and speeches of member of congress,
Congress did not hesitate to speak
plainly against a proposition to pay
$7,2OO,OOO for what they considered a
barren, bleak and desolate country,
which could never be utilized for the
purpose of settlement and be only a
source of care and expense.