The Monticellonian., 1899-02-24
IHE kL0ND|KE COUNTRY.
A Complete Report of the Relief Work of the War Department
 Sent to Congress.
SUCCINCT STATEMENT OF CAPT. p. H. RAY
Nothing Found in Either Alaska or tho Northw est Territory to Justify the Great Rush of People There, or the Enormous Investment In Transportation and Trad Ing Companies.

Washington, Feb. 21.-Secretary AL ger has transmitted to congress a complete report on the relief work of the war department in the Klondike country, undertaken under act of con gress as result of reports that ex- treme distress among the miners fol- lowed the influx to the gold country during 1897-9s. It embraces the de- tailed reports of Capt. P. II. Ray and Lieut.. W. r. Richardson. Aside from details of the relief work, Capt. Rays last report, dated May last, contains the following interesting statement;
 CAPT. RAYS STATEMENT.
 "1 deem it of the greatest impor- tance for the development of the coun- try that roads should be opened, so as to enable the people to enter the coun- try not only from the Yukon to the open sea in our own country, 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 greae highway-the Yukon river-and they can not hope to be landed at any point in Alaska earlier than July l.
 s'Fhe gold-bearing districts are from 50 to 15O miles back from the main stream. There are not any summer trails except foot trails, and provi- sions and mining tools can only be transported on the backs of men.
 TOO MANY PEOPLE GOING.
 "l do not find anything either in Alaska or Northwest territory to jus tifY the great rush of people to that country, 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 of the Klondike, and the claims are almost entirely con fined to Bonanza, Eldarado, Dominica, Honla and Sulphur, with a few claims on Bear creek.
 In this district 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 title until they can be sold to the unwary newcomer or disposed of fR the states for corporation schemes. Capt. Constantine, of the Canadian Northwestern mounted police, is my authority for denouncing the move. ment as a fraud.
 DISAPPOINTED AND SUFFERING.
 "In the absence of any other iu- dustry, except cutting wood for the river boats, l do not see anything il, the future for over 90 per cent. of the people now floeking to that country but disappointment and suffering. Even those who obtain employment at S1:50 per hour, find that after 6e- ducting the cost of food-packing, can dles, etc, they do not net to exceed S2 per day, and they tell me it is barely enough to tide them over the idle sea- son.
 Up to date no paying mineral lodes of either gold or silver have been dis covered in north Alaska, so far as known.
 DEVELOPMENT WILL BE SLOW.
 am now 1ully saushed that In the near future Alaska will be the source of great wealth, but the development will necessarily be slow owing to the climate conditions. I recommend the early introduction of horses. mules and cattle and extra inducements should be held out for the develop ment of agriculture in the valley of $ho I can be obtained there in great abund- ance, and oats, barley and spring wheat can be successfully cultivated as well as potatoes, 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 it possible to profita- bly work large per cent. of the mines now lying idle"