Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-03-18
MAY POLICE BOUNDARY
Battle of Miners In Alaska Discussed
In Washington.
1T HAD BEEN APPREHENDED.
Said That Canadians Have Been FAR
tlcularly Aggressive All Along
and Have Advanced the Lines
of the Boundary.

Washington, March 49, - The hostile
collision between Canadian and Amer
can miners q few miles on the Da0on
trail, in Alaska in which four men are
reported killed and a number seriously
wounded, Ia exactly what was appre-
hended by the representatives OF tne
United States government in the late
Canadian conference. 1t Is said by one
Of these officials that they are sadly en-
barrassed In their efforts to settle the
Alaskan boundary dispute by the Brit
ish Columbia legislature which, so lar
from endeavoring to secure a peaceful
adjustment OF the boundary difficulties
had by the passage Of irritating leg's-
ton done much to retard an agreement.
With infinite difficulty the joint com
missioners had succeeded in reaching
an agreement to which all could SUD-
scribe, looking to the settlement OF TINS
boundary question and of the CONNECT
ing mining interests generally. Withln
a week the British Columbia Legislature
had passed an act multiplying completely
all Of the interests to which American
miners had so painfully and expensive
~ acquiesced in the Atlin district.
This caused great irritation and was
the subject Of considerable discussion
before the commission. 1t was believed,
however, that, with the ratification OF
the treaty which was expected to be
negotiated, carrying with it the pro-
vision for the settlement OF the mining
controversies. the obnoxious law would
be vacated by the superior force of the
treaty.
The Boundary Defined.
Apprehensive Of trouble in the event
of the failure of that instrument, the
two governments-the United States
and Great Britain--reached an agree
ment. in the nature of a modus vivendi,
roughly defining by certain landmarks
the boundary between the British and
American possessions from the Klon-
dixie section down to British Columbia.
The officials here cannot tell from the
vague report brought by the Vancouver
dispatches just where the collision took
place between the American and Ca
madam miners, so it is impossible to tell
who is at fault. 1t is said. however.
that the Canadians have been particu-
larly aggressive in this boundary mat
ter right along, that they have several
times advanced the lines of the bound
airy claimed by them and that in each
case this extension conceded or follow
ed very closely the discovery OF new
goldfields in the vicinity.
The Indications are that the United
States government will he obliged to
take some steps to police it's side Of the
border in Alaska in method corre
spending to the Canadian system. There
will he nothing threatening in the adOp-
ton of such course. for in the official
belief there Is much less risk of conflict
between the regularly organized and re-
sponsible parties like the Canadian
mounted police on the one side and the
United States military forces on the
other than between bands Of miners as
opposed to the Canadian police. Conse-
quently it Is probable that as soon as
Colonel Ray arrives here from Porto
Rico. or perhaps even before, the war
department will take steps to organize
suitable force for this purpose.