Evening star., 1899-03-21
TROUBLE WAS PREDICTED
Gov. Grady in February Told Of Canadian
Aggression.
Unplcasantness Over the DISPUTED
Alaskan boundary Line-Advice
% Secretary Hay.

the Alaskan boundary line situation are
given in official correspondence now on file
in the State and Interior Departments,
which has never before been made public
The controversy between the miners on
each sioe OF the line has within the past
week led up to a conflict with casualties.
Governor Brady of Alaska as long ago as
the latter part of February called attention
to the extremely threatening condition of
affairs. On February 81 Governor Brady,
who was here, had a conference with both
Secretary Bliss, who was then just leaving
the cabinet, and Secretary Hay in which
he urged that the aggressive acts of the
Canadians should be promptly met. He
submitted formal note of warning of the
impending trouble and the possibility of
hioodshed. The note was considered at the
next cabinet meeting. February -. the
arcnfves show, the governor submitted
formal communication to the Secretary of
the INTERIOR in which he speaks of the lit
ter feeling along the line that made the
presence of troops, in his opinion, inpera-
tive and, among other things says:
Inc Canadians. from our way of looking
at matters. have constantly shown spirit
OF aggressiveness so far as the boundary
line is concerned. This is shown IN th~ee
instances. There is point upon The Stick
ine river which for years has been regarded
as upon the boundary lire. Thousands of
iiheI > nave passed up ana down the river.
merchants have done immense business,
and this was always recognized as the
boundary line.
Canadian Aggregation.
An American citizen is operating a
quartz ledge six miles below the recognized
boundary. The Canadian officials have gone
down six miles below him, thus making a
gap of twelve miles. They compel him to
pay duties on his supplies which he carries
In to operate this ledge. Last year, in Feb
ruary, an order went out to the customs
ofhcial of the mounted police to move from
the recognized stations on the boundary
lines to the summit of the passes Our peo-
pie had no notification of such intention
but they made the move, and some of our
cltlzenS We're at that time in favor of going
up and compelling them to move back by
Iofce but when l was sounded upon it, of
course peremptorily forbade any such act
took the trip to the summit OF Chtlcoot
pass and found the British flag flying there
and the customs officials collecting duties
from all who had their goods piled up there
upon the snow. / asked the officer in charge
by what authority he had moved from the
lake to the summit, and he replied, by the
command of his superior officer Now, cur
customs officials at Skagway have not
recognized these lines so far as sending
conveys over with British goods. The con-
VoyS get compensation from the persons
they convoy so far as Log Cabin, the point
nit of the White pass
Recently the news has reached US here
that TWO conveys were imprisoned for un-
dertakliig to continue TO convoy as far as
Log Cabin for two days. Late last autumn
the gold diggings were discovered on a
creek called Porcupine creek. which is a
tributary to the Chilcat river which Is upon
the third trail, viz, the Dalton or Chiicat
tran. Ihese discoveries are proving to be
very rich. and they are very close to the
thirty y-miie limit, where also we always
have regarded the boundary line. The
claims have been worked during the winter
and people are satisfied of their richness
and many men have gone in with stocks of
goods and purpose TO start in business with
the prospect of a lively mining season.
Ihis immigration has been extensive from
the fact that few weeks ago the Darlia-
ment of British Columbia passed an alien
act which would throw part of the intend
eq immigration INTO the Atlin country into
the Porcupine district instead. The same
aggress;veness which has been shown upon
the Stckine and upon the passes would i'm
pei the Canadians to move down and claim
this country As belonging to them.
II think | Know the temper Of our people
and 1eel sure in saying that if such step
Is attempted on the part of the Canadians,
conflict will ensue This danger is 50 irnni
nent that l deem 1t wise that our troops in
Alaska be ordered to take possession on
these lines and maintain our sovereignty
over the soil which we claim. | see no
other step for us to take if we want TO
avoid a conflict With Great Britain
Il regard the Porcupine district especially
as the point of danger"
Maintaining Proyisfonal Boundary.
Secretary Hay, on February %, wrote to
the Interior Department letter, in which
he adverts to the boundary negotiations
Among other things he says:
In the whole stretch of the coast boun-
dary line between Prince of Wales Island
and Mount ST. Elias there are but two
localities in which a boundary has been
Professionally established pending the even
tual determination of the entire question of
the frontier, namely, on the Stcklne river
and at the passes north of Dyea and Ska
qua
Continuing, Secretary Hay says:
me location OF the So-cailed Pan Handle
boundary line between Alaska and the Brit
ism northwestern territory is now under ne
gouaton, without agreement SO far Until
tne TWO governments shall reach an accord
as 10 the denn1tive boundary ii would ap-
pear tnat the point Professionally located on
the Suckine river should be respected by
both governments as a modus vivendi with
out prejudice to the final fxation of tht,
line. The very full report of the Canadian
engineer, Mr.. Joseph Hunter, shoula il is
thought, suffice 10 determine whether there
nas since been such encroachment upon the
jurisdiction or the United States as is al
legged lii Governor Brady's letter"
Secretary Hay conclGdes by suggesting
that unless it should distinctly appear thar
tne prov Slonal GDderSta nding of January
and February, 1873, has been disregarded
by the British agents in the Stickine valley
TINS government should not make compIaint
or inquiry OF the Canadian government i'm
respect OF the statements