Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-12-19
THE ALASKAN STRIP.

Special Correspondence.
Juneau, Nov '0-Thc long standing
dispute now bappily settled concern
ing just where the boundary of the
long, narrow Alaskan coastal strip
should run arose from mex of exact In
formation az to the location OF points
at issue, For instance. 1t was not even
settled where the entrance to Portland
channel or canal began The commits
sion has defined THE The Old treaty
with Russia declared that the boundary
line of that Russsn territory which
became ours by purchase in March.
1867, was 30 miles Inland from the
coast The Canadian contention was
that the strip of territory should bcgiu
at the western edge Of the hundreds W
islands filling this part Of the great gulf
OF Alaska The American contentiCU
was that the strip hould be measured
80 miles inland from the mainland
coast.
The commission gave a compromise
decision. putting the final boundary line
practically halfway between the two
boundaries each country had claimed
What Canada fought so bitterly for
was to get control of a seaboard north
Of British Colombia The decision gives
to the United States all the lnlets ana
ocean channels affording entrance to-
the mainland hereabout also all tho
islands but two I'm the gulf of Alaska.
In order to reach the two Islands or
Pearse and Wales, awarded to Canada.
vessels must pass through United
states territory-namely the entrance
20 Portland channel and past the ISL
ands of kannaEhunut and Sitklan
| Even yet however, much fuller sur
Veys viii be required TO fix finally tho
| division line in some places, The whole
| boundary line win De dotted with mon
! uments every few miles fixing 1T for
| ever
The strategic victory in the case IL
| undoubtedly with the United States,
/ yet even this Is not Of so much impor-
! lance, for there is no more real danger
| of war I'm which Canada aud the
| United States would be against each
| other than there Is OF a war between
| the sun and the moon.
Apart from the strategic preponder-
ance the United states has not gained
overwhelmingly. If the Canadian claim
had been granted in full the three
towns Of Dyea Skaguay and Juneau
would have been I'm Canadian territory
after they had been built up by Amerl-
cans and obtained even their place ON
the map from Yankee enterprise The
award gives the United States conf
mand Of the easiest route, mostly by
water. to the Canadian Atlin gold coun-
try That too, the Dominion kickers
bitterly resent The harbors in this part
Of the coast, notably Skaguay, juneau
and Sitka. are accessible the year Tound
and already the seats of a large trade
with Seattle and other ports.
Unless new deposits should be dis
covered the United States will not be-
under this award richer in gold or other
metals than she was before, Paying
dirt has not been found near Skas-
uay or Dyea. The Douglas island gold
mines are well known, and about Sitka
gold has been found I'm paying quanti-
ties IN fact the whole soil Of this
portion OF Alaska contains gold dust,
| but as yet no way has been found to
extract It probably one industry
throughout the south Alaskan islands
promises to be profitable 20 those who
learn IL. and that rs fox farming. Foxes
bearing fur OF commercial value may
be reared upon these Alaskan Islands
as caelly as rabbits farther south.
Many of the coast islands are also COW
cred with good timber which In this
region ls OF immense value. The north
cyly islands of the strip are practically
trCclcsf.
Tho soil Of this whole country Is I'M
monsely rich and the hardy vegetables
grow I'm great luNuriance. " the sum-
mon was only longer there Is no ques-
iou chat Alaska would presently be-
| come one Of the greatest agricultural
regions of the globe As II u.s. the graz
ing industry viii ere long be most
! thriving one