Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-12
OF the Alaskan Boundary
Dispute Given
SIR WILFRED LAURIER
Says No Concessions Will Be Given to
Railroads Until the Matter is Set
tied as 1t Would Build Up Ameri-
can Cities on the Border.

Ottawa, Ont, June 12.-Pronoters of
half a dozen Yukon railway schemes now
before parliament, are g~rievously disap-
pointed at the announcement of the gov
ernment's policy to stop the construction
of railways into the gold fields. pending
the settlement Of the Alaskan boundary
dispute. Sir Wilfred Laurie today stated
his position 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 territory 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 Pyramid harbor to-
ward Dawson. AT the present time
Pyramid harbor is in the disputed ter
ritory. We claim the ownership of it
and they nave at present practical pos
session of it as they have of the Lynn
canal. I believe it is SO provided in the
charters asked for that they would have
to be supplemented by American legisla-
ton and so We should be providing for
every communication from a harbor that
is practically now in the possession of
the Americans toward Dawson. If we
We're to grant that we would only be COM
plicating the question of determining the
boundary between us and the Americans.
If we were to grant the charter under
which las l understand $3.50. 600 is already
deposited, we would build up an Ameri-
can city at Pyramid harbor and make
it all the more difficult to get back-that
is to say. establish the boundary where
it ought to be.
AT the present time the question be-
tween US and the American authorities
is to the situation 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 Amer
leans claim, on the other hand. thai the
boundary passes around the Lynn canal
and that they should be confirmed in the
possession OF SkagWay, which they now
hold, Dyea and Pyramid harbor. think
it is clear that parliament acted with
questionable wisdom when in 1897 it
granted a charter to the British Yukon
ompany because the consequence is thai
we have contributed to the building up
of SkagWay an American city, between
which and Seattle there is a great in
creasing trade. American interests have
been established there and are increasing
ali lile TIME anu We nave met ana are con-
meeting and will certainly meet
until this question is determined the an
tagonism of powerful American interests
to our contention for the settlement of
the boundary question. If we We're to
grant his new charter from Pyramid
harbOr we would create on the other side
of Lynn canal still another American
city at Pyramid harbor and another at
Skagway. 1t is clear that when we come
tn cnttli,r that. la,,rJa~,, t,1,, -..,e
interests Would weigh enormously at
Washington. Therefore we believe we
ought to delay the granting of these
from Pyramid harbor to the
waters of the Yukon until the question
of the boundary has been settled in some
a When it is settled-And we hope it
will be the decision that the Lynn canal
belongs to us, and that Pyramid harbor
is ours-then we will be in a position to
grant a charter from Pyramid harbor as
being in Canadian territory and there
would be no need of an American har-
Dor"
But / asked, Gin the event of arbi-
tration being in favor of American con-
tention would Canada discourage every
construction from the American to the
Canadian Yukon?"
Il must frankly admit" was the
prompt reply, that if it be determined
by arbitration hat the Lynn canal does
belong to the Americans. the the policy
of Canada will be to get across TO the
Yukon not by the Lynn canal, but by
building railroads from the waters Of
the Yukon down to where there is indis-
putable Canadian coast water. That is
the view which we would adopt-to have
a railroad built, which would perhaps be
longer, to Observator inlet. through the
district, the Atlin district and the
Yukon district"