The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-05-04
ALONG THE YUKON.
Conditions Existing in the Gold
Mining Districts.
CAPT. RICHARDSON'S REPORT.

80
f- e'rcne Oh " .. troops met win Dis
4 favor-Peopie not In Favor of any
Sort Of Government - Clrole CITY
f,,t,,cns claim ,,,ov a,,,, No.
q. -'.i. -. =
- ~ =" - " ''''1 No'or - n'i ~
1902 "
WASHINGTON. May 3.-Actlng Sec
rotary OF War Meikle1ohn to-day give
out report from, Captain w. P. Rich
ardson, OF the Eighth infantry, who
commands the post at Circle City, Alaska,
together with brief report from Lieu
tenant E. S. Walker. OF the Eighth In
fantry, In command ut st. Michael.
Alasxn, upon the conditions existing
along the Yukon According to Cap
tain Richardson's report the advent OF
tho United States troops at that place
met with considerable disfavor from
the majority OF the people at Circle
City. While at st. Michael on the other
hand. Lieutenant Walker reports that
the business men desire the retention
OF the troops and he recommends the
continuation OF the garrison at that
point.
\ Captain Richardson made several ut
tempts TO Induce the better element Of
the community TO establish some sort
OF local government and special meet
1ngs were held during November and
December but In January at q big mass
meeting all his work was overturned
and by large majority the town de-
cided TO reject every form OF town gov
eminent suggested. The sentiment Of
the meeting, Captain Richardson says,
was the people OF the town already
have too much law and government
Captain Richardson explains this op-
position to the establishment Of the
local government upon the ground that
few OF the Inhabitants expect to remain
longer than few months or years
at most. The only general regulations
Issued by Captain Richardson up to the
time Of the report have been for clos
Ing saloons. dance halls. and gambling
places from a. m. until p. m. on Sum
day. and against the carrying Of con-
cealed weapons. He says he may be
obliged to prescribe In addition some
general regulation upon sanitation and
police with the coming spring. He es-
tablished q patrol Of nine non-commls-
stoned officers and six men In the town
and reports that this work has been
satisfactory and acceptable to tho bet
ter element. a
He commends the work OF the COM
missioner's court at Circle City, which
he says has maintained itself with dig
nifty and has administered the law With
in the limits of Its authority. At the
time Captain Richardson sent his re-
port no mail had bsen received over the
ice from the states. He understood
that the first mall sent through early
in the season was lost. The servicu on
the river from Circle City to St. Mich
ael Is working satisfactorily. Local and
delayed mail from the outside was re-
ceived from Dawson In November and
December. He directs attention to ad-
vantage OF cross country route from
Circle City to Cooks Inlet or some other
point on the coast.
The river and lake country Is only
safe for travel during two or three
months OF the closed season, whereas
the overland route could be used while
the river Is closed.
Lieutenant, Walker reports everything
outlet along the river on February 8,
Supplies were plentiful and there we're
few cases OF destitu..pn. Tho command
at Rampar; was reported in good
health. Lieutenant Walker urgently
REQUESTS that the garrison be ma,ntsin-
ed g. st. Michael, Tho BUSINESS men
want the troop, there not only because
thew afford protection bu, because diff
culties are more quickly and less ex-
pensIvely arranged and the nenp,e fee,
that the decisions made by military off,
GERS are tus, and equitable. Some stray
renort. Of nossIb,e trouble with ,ha In.
H.ei' a. i - ,"' "H"N
RIVER "Sie iepO!teu " NM anu l-lSu-