The record-union., 1899-03-21
Given in Official Correspondence on File in
Administrative Circles.
Governor Brady Called the Atten-
ton of the Interior Department.
During His Visit to Washing
ton to the Possibility OF Irou-
BILE, Urging That the Aggressive
Acts of the Canadians Shouio
be Promptly Met.

WASHINGTON, March 2O.-Some
important statements concerning the
Alaskan boundary line situation are
given in official correspondence now OH
file III the State and interior Depart
ments which has never been made pun
lie. The controversy between the MIN
ers on either side of the line has With
in the past week led up to conflict with
casualties.
Governor Brady of Alaska as long
ago as the latter part OF FEBRUARY cali-
ed attention to the extremely threat
enins condition of affairs. On Fepruary
DIST Governor Brady, who was here'
had a. conference with both Secretary
Bliss. who was then just leaving the
Cabinet. and Secretary Hay, in whlch
he urged that the aggressive acts OF
the Canadians should be promptly met
He submitted a formal note of warming
of the pending trouble and the possi-
b Mty of bloodshed. The note was con-
sfdered at the next Cabinet meeting
On February 23d, the record shows,
the Governor submitted a formal COM
mundcation to the Secretary OF the In
terror, I'M which he speaks OF the bltter
feeling along the line that made the
presence of troops in his opinion, i'm
perative, and among other things. says:
THE Canadians, from our way OF
looking at matters, have constantly
shown a spirit of aggressiveness, so Tar
as the boundary line is concerned This
is shown in three instances. There IS
a point on the Stickeen River which for
years has been regarded as the bound
ary line. Thousands of miners have
passed up and down the river; mer-
chants have done immense business,
and this was always recognized as the
boundary line An American citizen
is operating quartz ledge six miles be-
low the recognized boundary The Ca
madam 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
carried 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 were at that time in favor of
going up and compelling them to move
back by force, but when L was sound
ed upon it, of course l peremptorily for
bade any such action. l took the trip
to the summit of Chilcoot Pass and
found the British flag flying there and
the Canadian officials collecting duties
from all who had their goods piled up
there on the snow. 1 asked the officer
in charge by what authority he had
moved from the lake to the summit,
and he replied by the command of his
superior officer.
Now. our customs officials at Skag-
uay have not recognized these lines
so far as sending conveys. over with
British goods. The conveys got COM
pensation from the persons they con-
voy so far as Log Cabin. the point from
which the British moved to the sum
nit of 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
for two days. Late last autumn gold
diggers We're discovered on creek
called Porcupine Creek, which is a trib-
utary of the Chilcat River, which is
upon the third TRAIL viz: the Dalton
or Chilcat trail. These discoveries are
proving to be very rich, and they are
very close to the thirty-mile limit,
which we also always have regarded as
the boundary line.
THE claims have been worked dur
ing the winter and people are satisfied
of their richness and many men have
gone in with stocks of goods and pro-
pose to start in business. with the pros
pect of lively mining business. This
immigration has been extensive from
the fact that al few weeks ago the Par
lament of British Columbia passed an
Alien Act, which will throw part of
the intended immigration into the Atlin'
county and into the Porcupine District
instead. The same aggressiveness
which has been shown upon the Stick
cen and other passes would impel the
Canadians to move down and claim this
country as belonging to them.
II think / know the temper of our
people. and feel sure in saying that If
such a step is attempted on the part
of the Canadians, conflict will ensue.
This danger is so imminent that l deem
it wise that our troops in Alaska be or
QereQ to take DCSStSSiDji Oii tiiSSE iiiiNS,
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 Poreupine District especially as the
point of danger
Secretary Hay, on February 3D.
wrote to the Interior Department a let
ter in which he adverts to- the boundary
negotiations. Among other things he
says: In the Whole stretch of the
coast boundary line between Prince of
Wales Island and Mount ST. Elias there
are but two localities in which a
boundary has been Professionally estab-
Hshed pending the eventual determina-
tion of the entire question of the from
tier, namely in Stickeen River and at
the passes north of Dyea and Skaguay'
Continuing, Secretary Hay says:
"The location of the so-called pam
handle boundary line between Alaska
and the British Northwestern Territory
4 now under negotiations without