The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-05
ALL ABOARD TO ALASKA
A TRIP TO THE YUKON ALL THE
RAGE DURING THIS SUMNER.
Many Congressman I'm Official and
Private Capacity to Make the Jour
ney-A Chinese Annual Pass.
Special u the indianapolis Journal.

Special y the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON. June 4-Nothing proba-
bly, excites greater interest just at present
than desire to know more of Alaska, where
such remarkable discoveries of the yellow
metal have been made, and excursions of
the curious, who are not classed as specu-
lators, precisely. are the order of the day.
In addition to hundreds who will make the
journey TO Alaska this summer in the hope
of securing fortunes there are numerous
small parties being organized all over the
country TO visit the gold country. Other
parties of excursionists are preparing to
make the trip for the combined purpose of
pleasure and instruction, and in this latter
class there are not a few prominent SEN
ators and representatives who believe that
they can vote more inteligently on the va
rious questions affecting Alaskan interests
which will come up for consideration dur
ing the coming session If they have famil-
iarized themselves by personal observation
with the conditions existing in this great
territory of the United States. On June
10 the revenue cutter Hugh McCulloch
will sail out of San Francisco bearing a dis
tingushed party of senator's and represen-
tatives bound for Alaska The majority of
the dispute which has arisen between the
United States and Canada, to study the
exact location of the boundary between the
possessions Of the United States and those
of Great Britain.
A small party of senators and represen-
tatives is now planning here to make an
Alaskan trip simply as private citizens. pay
ing their expenses and having in view a
To ha far
sibe. Those who will compose this party
are Congressman Gordon, of st. Mary's, O.;
Bernie Layton, assistant sergeant-at-
arms Of the Senate. also of Ohio: Senator
Bacon, of Georgia; DIR. Gallinger, senator
from New Hampshire; Senators Clark, or
wyoming, and turner. OF washington. ana
there will possibly be several others more
or less distinguished to join the party be-
fore 1t leaves Seattle. Eastern members of
the party will rendezvous at Chicago one
week hence and then proceed to Spokane,
the home of Senator Turner. There the
Fasteners will be entertained several days
thsn proceed to Seattle. After a brief stay
In Seattle the party will embark for Alaska,
via the Linn canal, inside route to Skag-
son, Circle City and in fact every point
which they decide would be profitable or
interesting to take in.
Mr.. George III. Gillilard, formerly private
secretary to the late Senator Calvin s.
Brice, and now holding a similar position
to the Copper King" so called, Senator
Clark, of Montana, was to-day exhibiting
something in tho way of railroad pass
which attracted considerable attention even
in Washington, where free passes on rail-
roads are by no means a novel sight, as al
most every one in public or semi-official life
possesses anywhere from several to several
hundred. according to the method or persist
ency of his grating" propensities. Mr.:
Gilliland holds an annual pass over one OF
the leading railroads of the Chinese empire,
and the Transportation" bears on its face
nothing whatever that the average American
could understand. Were II not so elaborate
IN design one might think he had come from
a Chinese pawn or laundry shop. On the
diverse side are peacocks with all their
feathers, dragons with teeth, to say nothing
of the red ink hieroglyphics the Chinese
brethren use in their alphabet. On the re-
verse side are other characters, which pre-
sumably contain the name of the railroad
and also the conditions under which Mr..
George II. Gilliland may use the transp0rta-
tiCn. 1t Is supposed 1t has the usual nom
transferable clause, and suggestions, II dis
covered In the possession of any other than
the person to whom Ii Is issued, will be
promptly confiscated and the man attempt
ing TO impersonate another will be forced to
pay full fare or else be dropped off the train
at the next station. But at any rate George
Gilliland says II Is an annual pass upon a
Chinese railroad and 1t certainly looks the
part, and there none brave enough to
gainsay his assertions. 1t has evidently been
engraved, and the work on it Is as fine as
any one is accustomed to see on Uncle
Sans promises to pay, and 1t would be a
difficult matter to counterfeit II. Gilliland
figures out with the aid of a huge atlas. and
having some knowledge of transcontinental
routes, that 1t would cost him just 81, 500 to
reach China or, rather, the portion of
China where this railroad operates in order
to avail himself of the courtesy which has
been extended to him before ii expires by
time limitation
An unprecedented demand on the United
States treasury for subsidiary coin tells the
cheerful story OF general expansion in the
small business of the country. Usually at
this season OF the year there is an over
supply of dimes nickelS and pennies. AT
the present time stocks are at low ebb,
and the mint at Philadelphia is being worked
as never before grinding out little money"
During the month of May there were coined
at the Philadelphia mint 2,6f4.l61 dimes,
$4,000 nckels and 2.340.000 pennies. or
6.95l, 16l pieces in all This money goes TO
all parts OF the country. acquisitions often
coming from places where there has never
before been a call Nothing smaller than
nickelS IL wanted on the Pacific coast and in
the mining districts of the West, but in all
other parts Of the United States there Is a
smart demand for copper cents. The bullion
value or the gold and silver and the material
composing the smaller coins minted during
the month of May Is officially given at