The evening times., 1899-05-03
CIRCLE CITY RESISTS
CIVILIZATION LAWS
Captain Richardson's Report
to the War Department.
Advent Of American Soldiers Not
Regarded With Favor.
People Oppose Systems of Town Gov
tional Idea of Frontier Liberty.

Acting Secretary OF War Meiklejohn gave
out for publication today report from
Captain w. P. Richardson, Eighth Infant
ry, commanding the post at Circle City,
Alaska. upon the conditions existing along
the Yukon. Also brief report from First
Lieut.. E. S. Walker. Eighth Infantry, in
command of Fort St. Michael. Alaska.
Captain Richardson says that upon his
arrival at Circle City in September last
he found among certain elements OF
the town the advent of American troops
was looked upon with disfavor. He at once
endeavored to overcome 1t among the tet-
ter classes by separating the latter from
the more lawless element, and by the in
itiation of sentiment in the community
favorable 10 the establishment of some
simple form of town government or ad-
ministraton suitable to the needs of the
place In pursuance of this policy he 1e-
quested the citizens and others having
business interests in the town to meet him
on November rs. 1895 for the purpose OF
considering the subject of protection
against fire and for the discussion OF otner
matters pertaining to the general welfare
of the community. AS result OF this
meeting a board OF fire commissioners was
appointed, with authority to prepare and
publish a fire ordinance and levy :ontrl-
buttons for the purchase OF necessary appa-
ratus.
At a second meeting, one week later, q
committee of three citizens was appointed
TO prepare and submit plan By VIII ch
sufficient money could be raised IN the
community to provide for The expense OF
certain sanitary measures, such as OPEN
fnr
the care CT destitute citizens. THIS an
was submitted to third meeting on
January 4. At this meeting the town
turned out in force and decided by ma
iority vote TO reject net only the bian
submitted but all other plans which mlsht
have for their object the establishment OF
any form or phase of town government
whatsoever. One of the opposition re-
marked The people of the town already
have too much law and government The
report states that Circle City is iaiTly rep
resentatiye of the whole Yukon Valley in
this respect.
CAPTAIN Richardson says it may be par
TALLY explained on the ground that scarce
ly anyone now there expects TO remain
longer than a few months, or at most Two
Vi three years.
The only general regulations issued SO
far by Captain Richardson in the comnu-
nifty are upon the subject of saloons nd
the carrying of concealed weapons. He
las given strict orders and taken the nee
essary steps to enforce them against the
sale and delivery under any pretence
whatsoever of liquor to natives. Captain
Richardson states that he expects he may
rave to prescribe. in addition. some gen.
eral regulations upon sanitation and police
rhen the spring opens. He says that he
established a patrol of corporal and two
enlisted men in the town on October
last, and he subsequently increased the
number until il now consists OF one lon-
commissioned officer and siA men. The
work of the patrol, he says, has been sat
isfactory, and so far as be can judge ac-
Ceptable TO all the better element OF the
town.
He further says that the Commissioners
court which has been established at Cir
Gle City has maintained itself with dignity
and that the law has been well admins
tered within the limits of it's authority.
In the few cases were he has found it nee
essary to make arrests to quell disorder
the guilty parties have been turned over
to the Commissioners court for punish
ment. Only one serious affair, he says,
has occurred of late, namely the robbery
and attempted murder of a man on the
morning of December "A, referred 10 in
previous report.
Captain Richardson says that Lieutenant
ruary s, and brought. reports from St.
Michael. The lieutenant reported that
quiet prevailed along the river at that
time. Supplies were reported as being
plentiful and there were but few cases of
destituton. All the command at Rampant
reported TO be in good health and well
housed. At the time that Captain Richard
son sent his report in no mail had been re-
ceiyed over the ice from the States. Lo-
cal mail and delayed letters from the out
side were received from Dawson in No
vember and December He understood that
the first mail that was sent through early
in the season was lost. Captain Richard
son says that the service on the river
from Circle City to ST. Michael is work
ing satisfactorily. He calls attention to
the advantages of cross-country route
from Circle City to Cooks Inlet or some
other point at the coast. He says the diff
Guilty seems to lie in the up-river and lake
country which is only safe for travel dur
ing two or three months of the closed sea-
son. whereas the overland route could be
used the whole time the river is closed.
On November II Captain Richardson is
sued an order to the commanding officer
of the United States troops stationed at
City wherein he stated that he deemed ii
consistent and proper and for the good
name of the community that reasonable
observance be paid to the Sabbath. He
directed that saloons, dance halls and gam
bling places between the hours of 6 a. m.
and p. m. of that day be closed, all games
suspended and also the sale or disposal
otherwise of drinks of every kind under
and pretence. He ordered all such places
TO be closed as far as practicable between
the hours named, with the window shades
blinds up. All persons were cautioned
against carrying concealed weapons and
notified that the order respecting the same
would be strictly enforced in the commu-
nifty.
Lieutenant Walker states that his pres
ent quarters are ample. but that bathing
facilities and other conveniences are lack
Ing; that the storehouses are very much
crowded and great Inconvenience results
therefrom and urgently requests that the
garrison be maintained at st. Michael.
From what he can learn from the business
men they all want troops located there.
They desire them not only because they af-
fcrd protection, but because difficulties
are more quickly and less expensively ar
ranged and the people seem to feel that
the decisions made by the military officers
ere just and equitable.
In addition to this the work during the
past summer has already identified the
military service with the development of
the country trader at the mouth of the
Koyukuk River informed Lieutenant Walk
er that he was in some peril from the In
dams of that locality and that IL the case
becomes urgent he would duly notify him.
Lieutenant Walker is apprehensive that
some little trouble may occur in the Colo
win Bay mining district as there Is a dis
orderly element at that point. Many per-