Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-10-26
THE ALASKA BOUNDARY.

THE ALASKA BOUNDARY, Colonel W. T. Clough's Definition of
 the Decision.
 Colonel W. F. CIough, vice president of the Great Northern railway and also of the Northern Securities company, was asked recently by reporter of the New York Commercial Advertiser how the Alaskan boundary decision would affect American railroad and conner of the Alaska boundary commission gives the United States government control of the approaches by sea to the entire British K1ondike region and all that part of British North America ly- ing north of 54.40 degrees north lati- tude Naturally American carriers will have a greater advantage in handling business into the general Alaskan re gions.
 This decision merely confirms the things that have existed for forty years, with some changes of compara- lively little importance. British maps for the past forty years have preserved the same Alaskan boundary line prac- tically as it is now. This boundary line runs from 54.4O degrees north lat itude and skirts along the coast above the heads of all the ocean inlets, so that K from 54.4 40 degrees north all water en- frances into the country extend through America n territory. It was the conten- ton of the American representatives before the board of. arbitration that the main purpose of the original concession of that strip of ground to Russia was to cut off the access of British North America north of 54.4O to the Pacific ocean, and that purpose was establish ed historically to the satisfaction of majority of the board
 Doubtless arrangements will be made for goods to pass over this strip of United States territory to and from points in British North America in bond, the same as goods now pass through the United States in going to and from Canada and other foreign countries. The principal port of en- trance into the Klondike gold region is Skaguay, and there are existing ar engagements for passing goods in bond through United States territory. One of the advantages that the American carriers will derive from the definite settlement of this boundary question win be the advantage that must nat urally exist from having both ends of transit controlled by the United States government. The Canadian contention was for a boundary line that would cut across the deep inlets between their mouths and their heads so as to leave the heads in British territory. This important point the Canadians lost
 "The western terminus of the pros jected Grand Trunk Pacific railway will be at Port Simpson. which is at the mouth of Portland channel, the boundary water between British North America and Alaska. Two islands in the mouth of the entrance to Port Simpson were awarded to the United States by the Alaskan commission against the protests of the Canadians, who claimed that it would be menace to the western terminus of a Canadian transcontinental railway line to have this channel commanded in military sense by territory in possession of an other government.
 Practically this Alaskan boundary decision makes more secure existing American projects. I do not expect that it will cause any additional rail- way construction by American inter ests; not right away at any rate. Quite naturally the local development of Alaska will be stimulated. All of that region along the north Pacific coast has fine, mild climate. The mean temperature of Sitka and Phila- delphia are nearly the same, that of Sitka being more equable, owing to it's location on the ocean. The inlet region of which the United States has been awarded absolute control is covered by ma agniieent forests, and I presume that minerals will be found there in great abundance. The fisheries, too, are rich. Tn fact. the territory conceded to us is very valuable in itself.
 "The only railroad now in Alaska is owned by American capital, but is in no way connected with Great Northern or Northern Pacific interests. This is only a short line, however, connecting the Lynn canal with the Lewes river, which leads to Dawson