The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-02-20

ment of the country that roads should
| be opened, so as to enable the people to
enter the country not only from the
Yukon to the open sea in our own coun-
| try, which is of the greatest importance,
but to enable miners and prospectors to
get into the interior with their supplies.
Under existing conditions persons can
enter the country only by the one great
highway--the Yukon river-and they
| cannot hope to be landed at any point
in Alaska earlier than July /. The gold
bearing districts are from fifty to $50
miles back from the main stream. There
are not any summer trails except foot
trails, and provisions and mining tools
can only be transported on the backs
OF men.
Il do not find anything either in
Alaska or northwest territory to justify
the great rush of people to that coun-
try, or the enormous investment now
being made in transportation, trading
and mining companies. In northwest
territory no discoveries of extraordinary
richness have been made since that or
the Klondike, and the claims are ALMOST
entirely confined to Bonanza, Eldorado,
Dominica, Honka, and Sulphur, with
few claims on Bear Creek In this dis
trict all rich claims are well known and
held at very high prices, and while the
whole country has been staked it has
been done for speculative purposes, and
no work is being done except such as
is necessary to hold a title until they
can be sold to the unwary newcomer or
disposed of in the states for corpora
tion schemes. Captain Constantine of
the Canadian Northwestern mounted
police is my authority for denouncing
the movement as fraud"
'In the absence of any other industry,
except cutting wood for the river boats,
I do not see anything in the future for
over 80 per cent. Of the people now
flocking to that country but disappoint-
ment and suffering. Even those who
obtain employment and one dollar and
half per hour find that after deducting
the cost of goods, packing, candles, ETC.,
they do not net to exceed two dollars
per day, and they tell me it is barely
enough to tide them over the idle sea-
son.
Up to date no paying mineral loads
of either gold or silver have been dis
covered in North Alaska, so far as
known. I am now fully satisfied that in
the near future Alaska will be the
source of great wealth, but the develop
ment will necessarily be slow, owing to
the climatic conditions. 1 recommend
the early introduction of horses, mules
and cattle. and extra inducements
should be held out for the development
Nf no
er Yukon especially. Wild hay can be
obtained there in great abundance, and
oats, barley and spring wheat can be
successfully cultivated, as we'll as pota
tees, turnips and all the more hardy
garden vegetables, all of which would
be required for many years to meet the
local demand, and by reducing the cost
of transportation and food render 1t
possible to proftably work large per
cent. of the mines now lying idle.
But few of the men now entering the
northern part of the territory will ever
become a factor in its development
They must pass away before the time
when the wealth of the country will be-
come known and developed. To pro-
mote this / recommend that several
we'll equipped parties be put in the Held
and thorough geographical and geo
logical exploration of the country be
made, so that men of ordinary means
will be able to engage in the work of
prospecting and mining. At present it
REQUIRES considerable capital to first
explore the country for practical route
to transport supplies before any work
can be done in prospecting. The ruling
rate of interest in Dawson Is from 10 to
12 per cent per month, which is the
best exemplification ! can give of the
speculating conditions of the finances of
that country