The age-herald., 1901-01-25
SKETCHES FROM
 EVERYDAY LIFE

"The territory of Alaska" said Slato Mountjoy, special examiner for the Depart ment of Justice. who has just returned from trip there. lis governed entirely by Congress. It has territorial Governor. appointed by the President and the only judicial officers are the United States Com- missioners and three district judges. The former, in addition to their usual jurisdic- ton, have the powers of justices of the peace, probate judges and recorders. The district judges are appointed for four years, and not for life. like those in the United States Last June Congress divided the territory into three divisions. The first comprises the southeast portion of the ter ritory the second the country about Cape Nome and St. Michael and the third di- vision the famous Yukon district beyond the Klondike I was sent there by the de- pertinent to show the marshals how to start their books correctly. It is easier to start them correctly than to correct them after staring.
 Alaska is a charming summer climate, and it will soon become popular for sum- mer trips The general idea that it is a land of mosquitoes is erroneous. There are none in the towns or wherever the lands are cleared up, although there may be some in the swamps or woods. There are two ways of reaching the interior, both Of which pleasant trips. You can go to Seattle and then via St. Michael up the Yukon river, you can go froIf Seattle to Skagway by sea, then Ill miles by rail to beyond the White Horse Rapids, thence AS miles down the Yukon river to Dawson City, the headquarters of the Klondike. The boats are safe and the fare good. The Chilkoot pass, with all it's horrors, is a thing of the past Nobody dreams of go- ing that way now. Dawson City is now definitely settled as being within British territory. It is east of the one hundred and forty-frst parallel of longitude, the dividing line between the countries. The only place where there is any dispute as to boundary is in the southeast corner of the territory. Dawson is a place of about 1o,- GOO people, and promises to stay. The trouble with most Alaska towns is that gold is liable to be found at any time in some other section, and stampede ensues and the town Is deserted. Most of the buildings therefore only log cabins or shanties The climate at Dawson, as I said, is delightful in summer. There is little difference as to light between the day and night You can read letters at midnight. The gold mines are worked during the summer, and while the summer is short, 1t does not interfere so much with the work, as they have shifts of men, and the mines are worked day and night In the winter they prospect for new mines, as the coun- try is covered with ice and snow, and they travel by means of sleds and dogs. The winters in the Rlondike are severe. At Eagle City the thermometer was 37 degrees below zero on November 21. This is their Indian summer. In January last it was 6S degrees below. Still the people do not complain. It is dry cold and they do not suffer much. The winters on the southeast coast not so severe.
 ''The population in Alaska is cosmopolitan like that of Birmingham. You see all sorts of people on the streets. There are prob ably more miners than any other class, but there Is not the rush of miners that fol- lowed the Klondike discoveries, the gold fever being on the wane just at present. Still mining will remain the chief industry as farming is difficult. The government has established an experimental farm at Sitka and in the course of a few years will find out what can be grown to the best ad- vantage.
 For seven months during the winter there is second-class mail at Dawson. Not a newspaper or periodical is received. Only letters are forwarded and those are paper clipping if put in an envelope as a letter will not be taken if discovered The carriers contract is that only written mat ter will be forwarded.
 Alaska is a country of boundless possi- bilties-the country hasn't even been scratched It is true that so far there are no mines but those in the Klondike, but there is no reason why others will not be discov- cred. The whole country is full of adven- turers seeking their fortune, ever ready to flock to any new gold field. They are full of unrest and everything has an air of in- and there are no old families that feel obliged to cling to any particular locality. While there is great future to the coun- try I could not conscientiously advise any one to give up steady job in order to seek his fortune there.
 
 ANNABEL LEE.