The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-08
ALASKA KNOCKS LOUDLY.
Urgent Demand For Some Attention
at Washington.

New York, Feb. S.-A special to the
Tribune from washington, says:
A large delegation from Alaska is
here urging congress to enact some leg
iSlatiOn under which a government may
be organized in that territory as soon
as the rush to the goldfelds begins in
the spring. Among the delegates is
Governor John G. Brady, w. L. Distin,
surveyor general; VIM. A. Kelly, super
visor of the census; John G. Price, who
was appointed a delegate by a mass
convention of miners; Richard F. Lew
is, a business man of Juneau; Mr.. Wash
burn, manager of the Alaska CONNER
cia1 company; Louis Sloss, Jr., a bust
ness man from Skaguay, and Father
Barnum, a Roman Catholic missionary,
who spent many years in Alaska, but
who is now librarian of the Georgetown
university.
These men make requests for legisla-
ton that they claim is absolutely nee
essary for the protection of the people
and the preservation of the peace They
ask first for the establishment of courts
at St. Michael or Cape Nome, at Eagle
City and at Juneau or Skaguay. There
is now only one court in the territory
and the people are compelled go l.,
900 miles and often a longer stance,
and to remain away from their homes
several months and sometimes a year,
when they are interested in litigation OF
are summoned as witnesses.
The delegation from Alaska asks for
other legislation, particularly authority
to organize municipal governments,
which can not be done under the pres
ent statutes. Towns of 1,5O0 and 1000
people already exist by Sufferance and
they are governed by officials elected
without the authority of law. There
are no county, township or municipal
organizations in Alaska; no school dis
tricts; no police; no fire departments:
no power to make roads or streets or
to enforce order or sanitary conditions,
except by common consent and where
money is needed for these purposes it
is raised by subscription. Before June
Nome will contain 10000 inhabitants,
and it is scarcely possible that so large
a community can be governed without
law or formal authority.
Already the sanitary conditions are
said to be dreadful. Before the last
boat left there ar epidemic of typhoid
fever had broken out and there is no
telling how far it has extended. There
is no sewerage. no method of disposing
OF garbage and offal and the water is
bad naturally. Most of the supply used
for drinking and cooking IS taken from
n river which flows through at least
two mining camps and receives nearly
all their filth and refuse.
If the bubonic plague, which has all
ready 1Iy7 Peacned the n va Islands
the situation would be desperate and
thousands of lives would pay the penalty
of neglect.
The delegation also asks appropriations
for the construction of roads, for the sup
port of schools, postoffices mail service
prisons and for other purposes. The I'm
tied States government now collects a
revenue of from S250, 600 to $500, 600 a year
by taxation, which goes into the treas
ury- at Washington and not more than
half of it is expended for the benefit
of the people who pay these taxes. Not a
dollar of the taxes collected in Alaska
can be expended for any purpose without
an exact and specific appropriation by
the members of congress, Of whom 95 per
cent have never been within 5000 miles
of the territory and most of no
only a. vague idea of the conditions ex~
listing there.