Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-06-16
some REASONS
1aurier Explains More Fully the
Canadian Governments
Position
Regarding the Refusal to Grant
Any More Yukon Railway
Franchises.
Canada Claims Pyramid Harbol
: and Lynn Canal, But We
Have Possession.
Parliament Acted With Question.
able Wisdom in the White
Pass Charter.

disappointed at the announcement OF
the governments policy to stop the con-
struction of railways into the gold
fields pending the settlement of the
Alaska boundary dispute.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier stated his posi-
ton more fully than he had done in
parliament. He said:
while we do not object to any
scheme to build a railway from waters
that are without doubt in Canadian ter
ritory, to the Yukon country, at the
present time most of the charters asked
for are to build a railway along the
Dalton trail-that is to say from Pyra.
mid Harbor toward Dawson. At the
present time, Pyramid Harbor is in the
disputed territory. We claim the own
ership of it, and they have practically
possession Of it, as they have of the
Lynn canal.
II believe it is 81 provided in the
charters asked for that they would have
to be supplemented by American legis-
lation, and SO we should be providing
for railway communication from a har.
Dor that is practically now in possession
of the Americans, toward Dawson. If
we were to grant that we would only
be c%omplicating the question of deter
mining the boundary between us ana
the Americans. If we were to grant
the charter, under which, as 1 under
stand $3.50, 900 is already deposited, we
would build up an American city at
Pyramid Harbor and make it all the
more difficult to get back what we
claim belongs to us-that is to say, es-
tablish the boundary where it ought
to be.
Sat the present time the question be-
tween us and the American authorities
is as to the location of the boundaries
on the Lynn canal. We claim that the
boundary is at the entrance to the
Lynn canal, and that consequently the
whole of the Lynn canal belongs to us.
The Americans claim, IN the other
hand, that the boundary passes around
the Lynn canal, and that they should
be confirmed in the possession of Skag-
nay, which they now hold, Dyea and
Pyramid Harbor.
Acted With Questionable Wisdom.
II think it is clear that parliament
acted with questionable wisdom, when,
in 1897, it granted a charter to the Brit
ish Yukon Railway company, because
the consequence is that we have con-
tributed to the building up of Skaguay,
an American city, between which and
Seattle there is a great and increasing
trade. American interests have been
established there and are increasing all
the time, and we have met and are con-
stantly meeting and will constantly
meet until this question is determined,
the antagonism of powerful American
interests to our contention for the set
Element of the boundary.
eff we were to grant this new charter
from Pyramid Harbor, we would create
on the other side of the Lynn canal still
another American city, and if there
were an American city at Pyramid
Harbor and another one at Skaguay, it
is clear that when we come to settling
that boundary, these powerful interests
would weigh enormously at Washing
ton.
Therefore, we believe we ought to
delay the granting Of these charters
A1Ol1 L J4dk4AO 14o4U OI W Vic "dCcIS VI
the Yukon until the question of the
boundary has been settled in some way.
When it is settled-and we hope it will
be the decision that the Lynn canal be-
longs to us-and that Pyramid Harbor
is ours-then we shall be in a position
to grant a charter from Pyramid Har-
Dor, as being in Canadian territory and
there would be no need of an American
charter"
"But,"I asked, Gin the event of arbi.
tration being in favor of the American
contention, would the Canadian govern.
ment continue to discourage railway
construction from the Alaskan coast tc
the Canadian Yukon?"
81 must frankly admit" was the
prompt reply, ''that if it be determined
by arbitration that the Lynn canal does
belong to the Americans, then the pol
icy of Canada will be to get access te
the Yukon, not by the Lynn canal, but
by building railways from the waters
of the Yukon down to where there il
indisputably Canadian coast water
That is the view wnlcn' we would adop,
Ito have a railway built which would
perhaps be longer, to Observatory Inlet
through the Casiar district, the Atlir
district and the Yukon district"
Both Men Wore Drowned.
CLINTON, Ia, June 13.-Two me1
named Albright and Larson of Syca
more, Ills, on an excursion, took a sail
boat and went sailing. The boat cap
sized and both were drowned.
Judge JAMESON Declines.
New YORK, June IA letter hal
been received from Judge Egber
Jameson, declining the presidency o
the Chicago street railway system.