The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-06-10
From the New York sun.

FROM the New York sun.
The special census agent for Alaska
Will leave Washington one year in ad-
vance Of the date fixed for the taking
of the next census i'm order to make
the necessary arrangements for the
hrst thorough ana comprehensive en-
umeration of the people Of that lerri-
tory. The obstacles TO q complete en-
umeration of the inhabitants Of Alaska
have been such that heretofore the fig
urcs have generally been estimated.
Alaska was ceded to the United
states by Russia for q cash consider
alton in October, 1867 ana governments
tai authority over IL was not estab-
l8hcd in time for the census or 1870.
Alaska being first organized as n mili-
tary district and not securing IL for
NAL civil government until 1888 after
the second succeeding census Of 1880,
at which time the population or Alaska
was estimated at 10000. In 1890 the
first detailed enumeration of the peo-
pie of Alaska was undertaken and the
! population was put at 81 79J. There
was the Indian population of $4,000, Of
| whom 1000 were EslSimos; there was
the Chinese pOnulation of 1900: there
was the white population. Americans
| and Europeans, of 43OO, and there was
| the mixed population, made up Of those
who We're partly of Russian and partly
of native descent They numbered p
| 600. Since 1880 ALASKA has increased
| largely in population through the de-
velopment of mining interests and
| from this caus" as well as on account
of the greater thorouGhuess Of the en-
| umeration. it is calculated that the
| .,I
10000 to 10000, perhaps more.
The difficulties of making q census Of
| Alaska are greater than might at first
aponar The area Of the territory is
| iSo,Ooo square miles, and the condition
Of the country is such that communi-
! cation between the various parts Of IL
| is practically cut off during a consider
able part of the year. Alaska Is twice
| the size Of Texas and is larger than
| England. Scotland, Ireland. Germany,
| France, Holland and Belgium put to-
! cethor. Various languages are spoken
and various dialects of each language
! are in use among the Indians and
! moreover considerable portion Of the
| population of Alaska is Of n shifting
, character, making any enumeration
not taken simultaneously throughout
4 the whole territory uncertain aud mis-
= leading. Moreover, the climate Of
/ Alaska IS such as to hold out very little
attraction for enumerators except thosG
! of sensatiOnallv adventurous turn.
| The extremes of heat and cold in Fort
! Yukon are shown by the official record
| of 10 degrees in the shade in summer
| and 6S degrees below zero in the win
ter. It is explained for the guidance
! of enumerators that Indian snow shoes
\ are preferable tc Norwegian snow
| shoes in winter, and that beginning in
| May, the most hardy specimens Of mos
| quitoes make their appearance in largo
numbers. To secure protection from
| the mosquitoes the policy of covering
the hands with leather gloves and the
face with mixture Of bear oil and
| charcoal is recommended and it is
| further explained that the seasons in
| Alaska are really two. summer and
winter. there having been no provis-
ions for either spring or autumn in the
! meteorological system of the country
-. under these circumstances, an ac-
| curata enumerat ton Of the populations
is secured for 1900, due praise will nag
be withheld by any discriminating peRs
son from the census office.