The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1899-06-13
Regaming the Refusal to Grant
Any More Yukon Railway
Franchises.
canada Claims Pyramid Harbor
and Lynn Canal, But We
Have Possession.
Parliament Acted With Question.
able Wisdom in the White
Pass Charter.

OTTAWA, Ont. June !3.-Promoters
half dozen Yukon railway schemes
ow before parliament are grievously
tappointed at the announcement of
be governments policy to stop the con-
truc,ion of railways into the gold
rls pending the settlement Of the
laska boundary dispute.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier stated his posi-
on more lully than he had done in
arliament. He said:
While we do not object to any
rhen.e to build a railway from waters
hat are without doubt in Canadian ter.
tory. to the Yukon country. at the
resent time most Of the charters asked
tr arg to build a railway along the
Daon trail-that is to say from Pyra.
bid Harbor toward Dawson. At the
resent time. Pyramid Harbor is in the
ispu,ed territory. We claim the own
rship of it. and they have practically
ossession Of it, AS they have OF the
.ynn canal.
Il believe it is so provided in the
har,crs asked for that they would have
be supplemented by American legis-
alton and so we should be providing
Jr railway communication from har-
or that is practically now in possession
the Americans. toward Dawson. If
Fe We're to grant that we would only
complicating the question OF deter
Einins the boundary between us and
b. Americans. If we were to grant
be charter under which. as under
fand $3.50. 900 is already deposited. we
Fould build up an American city at
'yramii Harbor and make it all the
bore difficult to get back what we
LAIN belongs to us-that is to say. es-
ablish the boundary where it ought
BE-.
AT the present time the question be-
ween us and the American authorities
as 10 the location Of the boundaries
the Lynn canal. We claim that the
ounaary is Mt the entrance to the
'ynn canal, and that consequently the
hole of the Lynn canal belongs to us.
he Americans claim, on the other
and, that the boundary passes around
Ne Lynn canal. and that they should
confirmed in the possession OF Skag-
ay, which they now hold, Dyea and
'yramid Harbor.
Acted with Questionable w'sdom.
u think it is clear that parliament
cfed with questionable wisdom. When
y ls?', it granted a charter to the Brit
N Yukon Railway company. because
ne consequence is that we have con
nbuted to the building up of Skaguay
American city. between which ano
cattle there is great and increasing
lade, American interests have been
stablished there and are increasing al
ae time, and we have met and are con
vanity meeting and will constantly
aeet until this question is determined
ne antagonism Of powerful American
a'erests TO our contention for the set
4ement of the boundary.
"'f we were to grant this new charter
rom Pyramid Harbor, we would create
the other side Of the Lynn canal stii
mother American city, and If ther
we're an American city at Pyraml'
aarbor and another one at Skaguay,
clear that when we come to settlini
mat boundary, these powerful interest
would weigh enormously at Washing
Therefore, we believe we ought q
elay the granting of these charter
rom Pyramid Harbor to the waters Q
ae Yukon until the question OF tn
"U,o,hdary has been settled in some way
hen 1t 10 settled-and we hope 1t Wi
= the decision that the Lynn canal %
onss to us-and that Pyramid Haxpo