The evening times., 1900-02-01

Edwin Engelstad, a miner from st. Mi
| chael Alaska, is in the city. He is inter
! ested in the proposed legislation for Cape
| Nome and is here 10 endeavor to protect
! the interests of the individual miners OF
that district. In speaking today Of the con-
! ditions in Alaska and the proposed legis-
lation. Mr.. Engelstad said
In the first place there is the greatest
difference Imaginable between the condi-
tions existing in the southern region OF
Alaska and in the northwestern section of
the country. South of the Coast Range
there are large settlements OF permanent
residents. with schools. churches, and other
institutions OF civilized countries. North
of tine range there is nothing but a desc
late basin with here and there small vii
lage and mining camp. The inhabitants
of this region are almost entirely gold
seekers who are in search of fortune with
which 10 return 10 their native country
Those who strike it rich leave the region
as fast as they can. and almost the only
permanent dwellers are those who have not
been fortunate in their prospecting and are
still seeking for the precious metal.
This range OF mountains really divides
Alaska into TWO entirely different terrific
ries. Governor Brady has his residence in
southern region. and has only once crossed
the great divide between thai and the
Yukon basin Then he only made a sum-
mer trip. and remained but few months.
Sull he comes TO Washington and seeks
Tr.,rf Il t#s IL, g
Alaska. In regard to the northern section
Of the country he can but speak from the
experiences of his brief summer trip into
thai region. In fact, all official trips have
been made in the summer. the winter
months being roo long and hard. | know,
because | have lived and worked there
fer eleven wears.
When ! arrived in this city | discoy-
cred that all reports on the condition of
Alaska. as far as future legislation is cen
Cerned. to be extremely one-sided The
strange conditions surrounding the estab-
lishment of placer mining laws, and the
power OF attorney il Alaska, thereby al
lowing The stalking OF placer claims. are
not mentioned in the proposed legslai ion
i am now speaking of the Lacey bill, now
before tie House, extending in Alaska the
palcer mining laws to lands reserved from
sale by previous act of Congress III
1898.
Il see by the papers that Mr. Lacey i'm
plies that he is representing the wishes
OF the miners of the Klondike when he
proposes the passage of this bill. The min
ers of northwestern Alaska would like to
know who has asked Mr.. Lacey TO frame
bill regarding Cape Nome. / state pos
iuyely. being a miner from Cape Nome
that a far as any legislation for that dis
trict is concerned, the provision OF Com
missioner Hermann giving no privi-
leges to corporations is and will be en-
tirely satisfactory to the miners of that
region II the beach in question is United
States property il ought not to be licensed
10 any corporation or corporations. Mr..
Lacey. in his bill wants TO give privileges
10 the corporations. II is asserted that the
bill is formulated TO protect the interests
of the miners. II takes only a glance OF
a practical miner TO see that the bill nails
fast this fact, That one agent of a eorpor-
alton. can employ 100 men by contract,
and the entire beach will be legally OBJ
tanned
This bill legalizes the stalking of claims
by power Of attorney. whereby the agent
Of corporation can secure the claim of as
much land as is wished by the corporation
which ne represents. What the miners !
want is The privilege to dig where they |
please on the Cape Nome beach as was |
done last summer. Then the miners who |
had suffered through the winter Travelled |
TO Cape Nome and dug for gold where they |
pleased. There was little or no trouble |
between prospectOTs, the protection being /
the military police. The miners dug for |
gold in the beach as one digs for clans, |
and many destitute prospector was able /
TO return 10 the Yukon with money to |
support their families during the hard |
winter following This is what they want |
10 do next summer If the placer mining |
laws are brought there. it would prevent |
all the poor men who have been stalking |
On the beach from getting in claim, and |
the beach would be taken by from three /
10 four hundred agents. In two months a |
thousand destitute miners would be clam
BRING around and the military police would
have much trouble TO prevent riot and /
Dloodshed Ii a law could be made pro-
libiting the stalking or obtaining of placer
'laims by agents or by power of attorney,
[ would settle the difficulty
1t is not just to the miners that few
ich men should be allowed to take from |
hem their heritage. These poor miners
annot send a delegation 10 Washington to
DOk out for their interests but the richer
len come down and pretend to want legis
alton TO help the poor men, whereas they |
re working for themselves and for corpo- |
atioAs. Ii is the poorer class that, being |
nable 10 leave the country. become the |
lthers OF The future population of Alaska. !