The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-21
Danger of Conflict Over the Alaskan
Boundary.
GOV. BRADY'S WARNING
THE DOMINION POLICE OCCUPY
AMERICAN TERRITORY.
Acts of Aggression That Will Ger
tainly Lead to Bloodshed-Pres-
ence of American Troops Is I'M
perative - Canadians Collecting
Duty On American Soil.

Washington, March 20.-Some import
ant statements concerning the Alaskan
boundary line situation are given in Of
fetal correspondence now on file in the
state and interior departments which
| has never been made public.
The controversy between the miners
on either side of the line has, within the
past week, led up to a conflict with
| casualties.
| Governor Brady Of Alaska as long ago
as the latter part Of February, called
attention to the extremely threatening
condition of affairs. On Feb. Il Gov
ernor Brady, who was here, had con-
| ference with both Secretary Bliss, who
was then just leaving the cabinet, and
Secretary Hay, IN which he urged that
! the aggressive acts of the Canadians
should be promptly met.
He submitted a formal notice of
warning of the pending trouble and the
possibility Of bloodshed. The note was
considered at the next cabinet meet
| ing.
On Feb. 90, the records show, the
governor submitted formal communi-
cation to the secretary of the interior,
in which he speaks of the bitter feel
| ing along the line that made the pres
ence of troops, in his opinion, imDera-
tive, and among other things, says:
The Canadians, from our way of
| looking at matters, have constantly
shown a spirit OF aggressiveness, so far
as the boundary line is concern
ed This is shown in three instances
There is a point on the Stickeen river
which for years has been regarded IS
upon the boundary line. Thousands of
miners have passed up and down the
river; merchants have done immense
| business, and this was always recog-
niZed as the boundary line. An Ameri-
can citizen is operating a quartz ledge
! six miles below the recognized bound
airy. The Canadian officials have gone
down six miles below him, thus making
gap of twelve miles. They compel
him to pay duties on his supplies which
| he carries in to operate this ledge. Last
year, in February, an order went out
to the customs officials of the mounted
police to remove from the recognized
stations on the boundary lines to the
summit of the passes. Our people had
no notification of such intention, but
! they made the move, and some of our
citizens we're at that time in favor of
! going up and compelling them to move
| back by force, but when l was sounded
upon il, of course I peremptorily for
! bade any such act. | took the trip to
the summit of Chilkoot pass, and found
! the British flag flying there, and the
/
all who had their goods piled UP there
on the snow.
I asked the officer in charge by what
authority he had moved from the lake
/ o the summit, and he replied by the
, CO lmand Of his SUPERIOR officer.
Now. our customs officials at Skag-
4 way have not recognized these lines. so
! far as sending conveys over with Brit
/ ish goods The conveys get compenSa-
ton from the persons they convoy so
! far as Log CABIN, the point from which
! the British moved to the summit of the
! White pass.
Recently the news has reached us
! here that Two conveys were imprisoned
/ for undertaking to continue to convoy
/ as far as Log Cabin, fog two days. Late
/ last a=+umn gold diggings were dis
coYC-ed IN ii creek called POrcuDine
creek, which is a tributary of the Chill
/ cat river, WI.ch is upon the third TRAIL
viz: The Dalton or Chilcat trail. These
! discoveries are proving TO be very rich,
and they are close to the tl.irty-nlie
limit, which we always have regarded
! as the boundary line. The claims have
! been worked during the winter, and
people are satisfied of their richness,
and many men have gone in With
stocks Of goods, and propose to start in
| business, with the prospect of a lively
mining business. This immigration has
| been extensive from the fact that a few
weeks ago the parliament of British
| Columbia passed an alien act which will
throw part of the intended immigration
| into the Atlin country, into the .'orcu-
pine country instead The same ag-
gressiveness which has been shown
upon the Stickeen and upon the passes
would imcel the Canadians to move
down and claim this country as belong
| ing to them.
Il think l know the temper of our
people, and feel sure in saying that if
such d step is attempted on the part of
/ the Canadians, a conflict will eusue
! This danger is SO imminent that 1 deem
it wise that our troops in Alaska be
ordered to take possession on these
lines and maintain our sovereignty over
the soil which We claim. l see no other
step for US to take if we want to avoid
a conflict with Great Britain. / regard
the Porcupine district especially as the
point of danger"