The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-21

Capt H Ramwell. of the steamer r. P.
Gilmore which phys about Prince of
Wales islands between points in South
eastern Alaska, is in the city. He says
that the great need of the district is
better mail service; that about 1000 people
In the different camps OF the district have
to depend on his steamer to carry their
letters to and from Ketchikan. where
there is a postoffice. The country, he
says. is making steady progress, and is
one of the best mineral regions in Alaska.
1t Is largely backed, he says, by Seattle
capital, but eastern and London capital
lists are also investing heavily.
In speaking of the Prince of Wales is
'ard district, Capt Ramwell said yester
day:
Few people here realize the growth
made by Southeastern Alaska, although
Seattle furnishes almost all of our sup
plies. and the progress of the country
means much in a business way TO this
city. In my opinion 1t is the greatest min
eral region in the North. Copper of
course. is the chief product. and there is
lots of it lying around. Gold, however,
is quite abundant, being found in a sort of
gold-bearing rock. which is very rich.
THE only fault of the district is its lack
of mail service. There is postoffice at
Ketchikan, which is a distributing center.
l carry the mail from there to the various
points in the country free of charge. 9th
erwise all the miners would be compelled
to hire row boats and go for their letters
a distance averaging the same as that
from Seattle to Port Townsend
For Floating Postomcc.
1.-THE people want the government to
make the Fillmore a floating postoffice for
the place, distributing the mails at speci
fed times As 1t is no one is sure of get
ting his mail out or in, a fact which
retards the progress of the country to a
certain extent. 1t is as much to Seattle's
interest as to ours to see that this evil
is remedied.
"Ketchikan is quite lively. You can get
anything there in the nature Of supplies
from a needle to an anchor. Waterworks
have been put in so that steamers are
able to get water there. There are IA num-
Der of stores in the town, and many new
houses are going up. Ketchikan is backed
by Seattle men, and as it is the distribute
ing point for the country $50 miles around.
it is destined to grow. The Fidalgo Pack
ing Company of Anacortes. has built a
salmon cannery there which is equal to
anything you have on the Sound. There
are also two lumber mills.
II think the attempt TO move the GUS
toms house from Ketchikan to Wards
cove is foolish. The former has splen-
did harbor. while a big ship can't turn
around in Wards cove without consider
able difficulty. Moreover, the cove is ex-
tremely hard to find in the night, l my
self. although well acquainted with that
part of the coast. have had practical ex-
perience.
"Of the country in general I can't say
too much. Prince of Wales island Is
rich and has large number of prospect
ors on II, most of whom are well pleased
with the district. The Copper Mountain
mine closed down recently on account of
some trouble in the company. At Snug
gers' Cove a thirty-foot face ledge three
irnn ~ oh n Iural raytx,
was recently discovered A stamp mill
will be put in there soon. Du Bots, the
American millionaire, is at the cove.
Some Rich Mines.
Sam Lichtenstadter. representing some
of the richest capitalists of London. has
thirty men working at the top of the
Kasaam peninsula. Another man named
Babcock is running saw mill at the
same place. At Dali head, c. II. Hunt,
formerly chief of police in Portland is
located. The head is backed by Portland
capital The Golden Fleece mine at John
sons inlet Is another rich property. There
are 100 men located at the inlet Maj. NJ.
T. Freeman is running mine at MORA
sound. and will take thirty additional
men in with him at an early date
AS 1 said before. the great need Of the
district is proper mail service. When
the Gilmore does not make the trip
around the island they have to send their
mail to Ketchikan.
"The steamer also acts as a floating
bank up there. The miners are paid in
checks by the company and we cash
them. If man wants anything, ne al
ways waits for tho steamer, Every trip
we carry a curious assortment Of pack
ages for the miners. \ nan once asked
us 10 bring him n package of chewing
gum distance Of l5o miles. We are
continually lending articles, which how
ever are always returned
our first schedule Is from Ke.chikan
10 Helen bay, Smusglers cove. Grindall
island Copper Queen mine. Skull arm,
Cholmondelcy sound and Jackson inlet,
and back again. The round trip taxes
two days We then run from Ketchlkan
TO Copper mountain. a distance of 800
miles. the round trip taKin~ three lays"
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