Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-04-21

men who seek to make comfortable
living for themselves and families.
We do not claim for our country,
that we have a Florida or an italian
climate for we have ice and frost and
plenty of it. But ON the other hand
we have three or four months. COM
mencing about May 18th, when we
challenge the world to excel us in the
growth of luXuriant vegetation, from
the simple fact it gets the benefit Of the
sun during three or four months
from eighteen to twenty-four hours
almost every day. We do not claim
fol- this county. that it is altogether
farming locality, like Iowa, Kansas
Nebraska, or Illinois, but from ex-
perience we have learned that we
can produce much, that a few years
ago we could not have believed possi-
Bile. Alaska has many valleys which
will be settled soon and thousands O.:
occupants will become comfortable
and happy within a very few years
as soon as the country is better under
stood.
In the year 1888 coarse gold was
first discovered on Forty-Mile river
eighty-five miles above the town of
Juneau in southeastern Alaska was
the outftting point, and in those days
and up to three Or four years ago it
took the prospector sixty to ninety
days to make the trip to Franklin
gulch, where the discovery was made
and he had to undergo hardships that
nc one could know but himself. Part
OF the way he had to pack his grub
nd
aims, the highest point being the divide
between salt water and the head of
the Yukon, the Chilcat pass being f.
100 feet. In the winter he could go
Oh sleds part of the way but in soft
weather he would pack through snow
and swamps fight millions of mosqui-
tos and when he reached the river he
would have to whipsaw timber for his
boat to descend the Yukon 600 or 700
miles to FortyMile, and at this point
he had another task. and harder one
it possible. one that took stout heart,
and stronger nerve to undertake.
That was to pole Or pack provisions
and tools. UP a very rapid mountain
stream. However these many efforts
have produced good results for our ci-
tizens and general government of to-
day as the district is throwing many
millions Of new dollars into the mar
kets of the world taken out of mother
earth.
In many cases the prospector lost
his life and many more lost their pro-
visions and tools and were forced to
live at least one year scantly before
they could replace their losses, there
being no supplies within hundreds OF
miles Of them. Today fortunately it
is far different as there are trading
companies with plenty of goods
through the country. BY way of con-
tract a, person may purchase his ticket
a: Seattle, Washington for $40 to
Dawson. N. w. T.. and in ten or
twelve days he is at his destination. at
which place he may buy or build his
boat and drift down the river ninety
two miles, at which point he crosses
the Canadian border into Uncle Sans
country again (Alaska) and within
two or three hours pleasant ride OF
Eagle City. which is now supposed to
be the future terminus of the Valdcs
railroad. AS before stated this road
will start from the Copper River coun-
try on the Pacific coast
We wish among other things to
interest capital in fisheries along the
Pacific and Behring Seas. Though
there are quite a number establishe ed
and several million dollars already in
vested there is plenty of room for more
with good profits.
The fish in Alaskan waters, especi-
ally king and silver salmon, halibut,
cat. trout and many other varieties are
OF excellent flavor. sweet and juicy and
command good prices in the markets
of the world.
Herring, clans and crabs are abund-
ant. This years output Of canned
Alaskan fish will no doubt reach two
c. more million cases to say nothing
OF the salt and dried fish which will
reach the markets.
Alaska's display of ocean and land !
native animal live, peculiar to this re-
gion exhibited at the exposition would /
beyond doubt attract attention. In i
deed much of it might be shown alive. |
also by enlarged photos mounted. and |!
on canvas.
The Pacific, Behring and Arctic |
oceans which girdle many thousand !
miles of western and nothern Alaska !
are the natural home of the white
and humpback whales. and the black |
fish. The latter are very large but do |
not reach the, Immense size of the
former. However all weigh many |
tons each.
Walrus with ivory tusks three to
four feet long, the white polar bear |
porpoise, halibut. weighing 400 to 600
pounds; fur and hair seal, sea otter. !
king and silver salmon. cod, cat and |
many other varieties Of fish fill these
seas.
Some, Of the land animals. polar, |
grizzly. cinnamon, silver tip. black and |
the mount st. Elias blue bears, moose,
wood and barren land caribou, ibeX. |
mountain goat and sheep, silver gray. |
black, white. red and cross fox. siber-
ian wolf, lynx, beaver, mink. martin
and the best dogs on earth, the mali
moot and hnskie. These dogs in early
days took the place of the horse. for
there was not a horse in all Alaska,
and even today and in the future they |
will serve the prospector better than |
horses. It is natural for these faith-