The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-21
CANADIAN LAND
GRABS IN ALASKA
Governor Brady Gives
the Facts.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

WASHINGTON, March 20.-Some i'm
portant statements concerning the Alas
kan boundary situation are given in Of
fetal correspondence now on file in the
State and Interior departments which
have never been made public. Governor
Brady of Alaska, as long ago as the lat
ter part of February, called attention to
the extremely threatening condition of
affairs. On February q Governor Brady,
who was here, had a. conference with Sec
rotary Bliss, who was then just leaving
the Cabinet, and Secretary Hay, in which
he urged that the aggressive acts of the
Canadians be promptly met. He submit
ted formal note of warning of the pend
ing trouble and the possibility of blood
shed. The note was considered at the
next Cabinet meeting.
On February %, the records show, the
Governor submitted formal communi-
cation to the Secretary of the Interior, in
which he speaks of the bitter feeling
along the line that made the presence of
troops, in his opinion, imperative, and
among other things said:
The Canadians from our way of looking at
matters. have constantly shown a spirit of
aggressiyeness, SO far as the boundary line is
concerned. This is shown in three instances
There is point on the Stickeen River which
for years has been regarded as the boundary
line Thousands of miners have passed up and
down the river; merchants have done immense
business, and this was always recognized
the boundary line. An American citizen is
operating quartz ledge six miles below the
recognized boundary. 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
. carried in to operate this ledge.
Last year, in February, order went out
to the customs officials of the mounted police
to remove from the recognized stations on the
boundary INES TO the summit OF the passes
Our people had notification OF such inten-
ton. but they made the move. and some of
our citizens were at that time in favor of go
ing up and compelling them to move back by
force but when was sounded upon 1t, OF
course L peremptorily forbade any such action
took the trip to the summit of Chilkoot 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.
I asked the officer in charge by what au-
thority he had moved from the lake to the
summit. and he replied by the command Of his
superior officer.
Now our customs officials at skaguay have
not recognized these lines so far as sending
conveys over with British goods. The conveys
get compensation from the persons they
voy 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 two days for
undertaking to continue to convoy as far as
Late last autumn gold dfggings were discov-
is tributary of the Chilkat River, which Is
upon the third trail, viz, the Dalton or Chilkat
very rich, and they are very close to the
thirty-nile limit, which we also always have
have been worked during the winter and people
are satisfied of their richness and many men
pose to start in business with the prospect OF
a lively mining business. This immigration
weeks ago the Parliament of British Columbia
passed an alien act, which will throw part Of
the intended immigration into the Atlin coun-
try into the Porcupine district instead. The
same aggressiveness which has been shown
upon the Stickeen and upon the passes would
impel the Canadians to move down and claim
this country as belonging to them.
l think know the temper of our people and
feel sure in saying that IL such a step be at
tempted on the part of the Canadians a con-
that 1 deem it wise that our troops in Alaska
be ordered TO take possession on these lines
which we claim. see no other step for US to
take If we want to avoid a conflict with Great
Britain. I regard the Porcupine district
especially as the point Of danger.
Secretary Hay. on February %, wrote
to the Interior Department a letter in
which he adverts to the boundary nego-
tiations. Among other things he said:
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 boundary has been Professionally estab-
the entire question of the fronter-namely, !. in
'Stickeen River and at the passes north of
Dyea and Skaguay.
Continuing. Secretary Hay said:
The location of the so-caled Panhandle
boundary line between Alaska and the British
Northwest 1eFTllOTS Is now unuer negotiations,
without agreement so far. Until the two
governments shall reach an accord as to the
def1nitive boundary it would appear that the
point Professionally located on the Stickeen
River should be respected by both governments
as modus vivendi without prejudice to the
final hxation of the line. The very full report
of the Canadian engineer, Joseph Hunter
should. it is thought. suffice to determine
whether there has since been such encroach-
ment upon the jurisdiction of the United States
as is alleged in Governor Brady's letter
Secretary Hay concludes by suggesting
that unless it should distinctly appear
that the provisional UNDERSTANDING of
January and February, 1875 has been dis
Stickeen Valley, this Government should
not make complaint or inquiry of the
not make complaint or inquiry of the