The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-21
TRUTH ABOUT ALASKA
Government Officers Set Forth
Some Cold Facts.
OUTLOOK NOT PROMISING
Captain Ray Says He Can Find No War
rant for the Great Rush of Peo-
ple-What the Country
Needs.

washington, Feb. 20.-Secretary Alger
| has transmitted ito congress a complete
report on the relief work of the war de-
partment in the Klondike country I'M
dertaken under an act of congress, as
result of reports that extreme distress
among the miners followed the influx
to the gold country during 1898. 1t
embraces the detailed reports of Cap
tain P. H. Ray and Lieutenant w. P.
| Richardson. Aside from the details of
the relief work, Captain Rays last re-
port, dated May last, contained the fol-
lowing interesting statement:
Il deem 1T of the greatest Importance
for the development of the country that
roads should be opened so as to enable
the people to enter the country not only
from the Yukon ITO the open sea in our
| own country, which is of the greatest
Importance, but to enable miners and
prospectors to get into the interior with
their supplies. Under existing condi-
tions persons can enter the country
only by the one great highway-the
Yukon river-and they cannot hope to
be landed at any point before July l..
THE gold-bearing districts are from
80 ito 100 and $50 miles back from the
main stream. There are not any sum-
visions and mining tools can only be
transported on the backs of men.
Il do not find anything either in
Alaska or Northwest Territory to JUS
tify the great rush Of people to that
country or the enormous investment
now being made in transportation, trad
ing and mining companies. In North
west Territory no discoveries of extra
ordinary richness have been made since
| that Of the Klondike and the claims
are almost entirely confined to Bonanza,
Ell Dorado, Dominion, Honka and Sui
phur, with a few claims on Bear creek.
In this district all rich claims are well
known and held at very high prices, and
| while the whole country has been
staked, it has been done for speculative
purposes and no work is being done
except such as is necessary to hold a
title until they can be sold to the I'M
wary newcomer or disposed of in the
states for corporation schemes. Captain
Constantine of the Canadian North
western police is my authority for de-
nouncing the movement as a fraud.
| In the absence of any other industry,
except cutting wood for the river boats.
I do not see anything in the future for
more than 80 per cent. of the people
now Hooking to that country but disap-
| pointment and suffering. Even those
who obtain employment at $1.50 per
| hour find that after deducting the cost
| of food, packing, candles, etc, they do
| not net to exceed 81 per day and they
| tell me 1t is barely enough to tide them
| over the idle season.
| up ITO date no paying mineral leads
Of either gold or silver have been dis
| covered in North Alaska, SO far as
known. I am now fully satified that in
the near future Alaska will be a source
| of great wealth, but the development
| ,.tI, l. 81 ~
| climatic conditions. l recommend the
early Introduction of horses, mules and
cattle and extra inducements should be
| held out for the development of agri-
| culture in the valley of the Lower Yu-
| kon especially. Wild hay can be OBJ
| tanned there in great abundance and
| oats, barley and spring wheat can be
successfully cultivated, as well as po-
tatoes, turnips and all the more hardy
garden vegetables, all of which would
be required for many years to meet
the local demand and by reducing the
cost Of transportation and food render
it possible to profftably work a large
per cent of the mines now lying idle.
But few of the people now entering
the northern part of the territory will
ever become factor in it's permanent
| development. They must pass away be-
fore the time when the wealth of the
country will become known and devel-
oped To promote this I recommend
that several equipped parties be put in
| the field and a thorough geographical
| exploration of the country made, so
| that men of ordinary means will be able
| to engage in the work of prospecting
| and mining. At present 1t requires con-
| siderable capital to first explore the
country for practicable route to
transport supplies before any work can
| be done in prospecting.
THE ruling rate Of interest at Daw-
| son Is from 10 to II per cent. per month,
| which is the best exemplification can
give of the speculative condition of the
| finances Of that country