The daily morning Alaskan., 1901-05-02
DEPUTIES ARE HONEST
Col. Evans. Special Agent of the United States Treasury Depart msnt, Rsturning North for An other Inspection Tour

Col Joseph F. Evans, special agent of the United States treasury depart ment who last year made the first tour oi inspection oi the collection offices in Alaska under the jurisdiction ot the treasury department. Is m Seattle. cn- route north again. accompanied by mS son. Wallace D. Evans
 Last years trip sad Col Evans at thc Butler yesterday. 'was an un- portant one for the treasury depart mcnt and did much toward Shapicg matter, for the better government ot Alaska so far as that department Is concerned lt was the hrSt tune a thorough inspection oi every station was made. and t enabled the settle mcut oi many matters, such as old claims for duties, regulating the pay oi officers and men. fixing rents for office, and buildings for public buSi- ness. checking of collections. receipts and disbursements.
 "rhc results oi my trip from an oih- cial standpoint, were a pleasure Co my self Alaska |, probably the only col lection district in the United Statcs where civil service regulations are not in operation. This Is largely due to the new and vagrlut character ot thc country which makes it practically im- possible to put it in operation. What therefore surprised me most consider ing che cosmopolitan character ot the men in the service. was the finding oi uniform. Stllwart. robust integrity among all the deputies throughout that wild country ! found every dollar. yes. every cent. for ices. duties and etc. at every station. properly collected. ac- counted for and deposited to the credit of thc treasurer at Sitka. [ have been m the government service for twenty five years and iu an the leading dtty port, oi the United States. but l never met men SO entirely satisfactory Co both government and public as those serving in Alaska
 NOW ON PAYING BASIS.
 "It is not generally known eontiu- ucd Col Evans. looking up some data. m a memorandum book. that the Alaska customs district Is now on a paying basic. Tn fact. n became 90 last year While it Is true that the main tcn1ucc of the service was expensive. yc, thc reports show that the collec- tions exceeded thc disbursements by ahou, Slocoo This Is the first time m the history oi Alaska that these figures were on the right side. for heretofore. the customs service has always been a loss Co thc government Oi course. there are some stations m Alaska that are not sc'i->upporting. but m the az grcg1tc thc department has a balance to its credit
 "t don't believe the people of the United States fully realize the wonder iul future iu store for Alaska and the great factor Mir Scward's "icc- berg is going to be m the development of the entire northwest Seattle people alone seem Co have graSped the importance of the situation. The business activ. ity | see every time ! come hc-c aS- >ures me that your people are fully alive Co and arc looking into the future and propose that Seattle shall remain what she is today. the distributing poin, for Alaska All discoveries SO far made and making show that Alaska is go- ing to be the greatest mining section of the world Copper. iron. silver. gold lead and timber all within reach of 'n open sen the year around in South eastern \'a,k3. and with it's fisheries. probably the greatest known. only par tial'y developed. must periorcc invite capital and labor that will rapidly de- ycIop Oh, country. create towns and cities build railroads and open the ,av for vast fortunes still in the embryo state The natural outlet for the vast wealth yct Co come ou. oi Alaska. is Co my mind. Seattle and think that Seattle knows it
 TO FORM TWO DISTRICTS.
 "My report on last years inspection and the remarkable increase m the GUS. toms collections since then have pretty conclusively proven that the tune IS near at hand when. owing Co .hc vast area covered by Alaska, all of the ter ri,ory oi the Yukon river nd it's tiib- utarics and an of the trade of the Der ing Sea will have Co be made into a separate collection district On the other hand St Michael has many ad- ylntages in point of geographical To-