The sun., 1901-06-10
We Had q Little Of Canao.,

As the Canadian trains approach the
Pacific on their journey across the con-
tinent a magnificent spectacle is suddenly
presented far to the south-the dome Of
Mount Baker. our snow-topped summit
whose volcanic fires give evidence, now
and then. that they are still glowing. 1t
Is not 80 high by nearly 1000 feet Us Mount
Rainier. the eliminating point Of the Cas-
cade Range. but II towers above every
thing else in view and Is noble and i'm
pressive object. Friday last was very
Of the mountain Here was one Of the
gaps in the boundary between the United
States and Canada that had not been sur
veyed. As 1t happens. rich mining claims
have been in process Of development along
this undetermined part Of the line. Ameri-
cans are chiefly interested in these mines.
They acquired their properties in good
faith conformed strictly to our mining laws
and fully believed that they were working
in our territory.
But nobody knew exactly the political
status OF this strip Of mining claims and
the question could not be solved without
a scientific survey. A lot OF Canadian
miners asserted that the ground was on
their side Of the line and trouble has been
brewing for months.
This indefinite and unpleasant situ-
alton has led to an official survey of the
disputed territory: In other words. the
boundary line to the north Of Mount Baker
has been located by extending the known
parts Of the line to the east and west through
the unsurveyed gap. The surveyors, in
cuding Mr.. SINCLAIR. our representative.
are said to have decided that the line Is
about three-ffths OF mile south of the
roughly calculated demitation that. for
several years, had been accepted as approxi-
mately accurate. This being the case.
about 1000 feet, north and south. OF the
American mining claims are transferred
to the Canadian side Of the line. This in
formation comes from Canadian sources.
but in view Of what has occurred there
Is little reason to doubt its accuracy.
On Friday last the Canadian miners
swooped down upon these American claims.
some OF which have been developed into
rich mines, and Jumped them all. They
justified the act on the ground that the
claims had not been s,aked according 10
Canadian regulations nor duly recorded
as is required by Canadian law. The Amerl-
can owners have. Of course appealed TO the
authorities at Ottawa. II is not TO be pre-
sumed that the Canadian Government will
countenance any injustice, II is 10 be ex-
pected that the rights OF the American
owners will be recognized and established.
Similar misunderstanding have arisen in
other mining districts. particularly in the
Yukon territory. After the definite delim-
italion of the bot-tary all property in
terests on both sides Of the line have been
recognized and safeguarded.
Tho occurrences at Mount Baker en-.
phasize the need OF completing the survey
of the frontier. The boundary between the
two countries IL so plainly marked that no
misunderstanding can arise except In Q
few places among the northwestern noun
tains. These gaps In the surveyed line,
fourteen or fifteen in number. aggregate
22O miles and occur at places where un-
usual difficulties were presented by noun
tain ranges, dense forests or almost i'm
pnssable streams. The frontier In these
places was. therefore. left for later de-
termination but mining and other enter
prses are now being established in many
mountain regions near the line on both
sides. The interests OF all concerned de-
mand that neither the citizens OF this coun-
try nor those Of Canada shall be involved
in perpexity as to the political status OF the
properties they acquire and the improve
ments they carry out.