Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-12
GOOD ROADS NEEDED
Lack Of Highways the Bane
of Alaska.
FOOD PRICES RAISED
REPORT OF COMMITTEE THAT
VISITED THE TERRIToRY.
Amendments to Mining Laws Should
Be Made and Natives Allowed
to Hunt Game.
FOOD PRICES RAISED

on territories, introduced In the senate To-
day the report of subcommittee. consist
ing OF Senators Dillingham;. Burnham. Nell
son and Patterson, which visited Alaska
last summer and made a thorough tnvesti-
cation of existing conditions. resources ana
legislative needs Of the territory. The com
mittee visited Metlakatla, Ketchikan, Fort
Wrangell. Juneau. Douglas Island ana the
TreadweH mines, Haines' Mission. where
the government is now establishing mill
tary post; Skagway. White Pass, Lake
Lebarge, Lewes River. Dawson. st. Michael
Eagle City. Fort Yukon. Circle City, Ram
part. Fort Gibbon. Nome. St. Paul lslano.
the headquarters of the sealing industry
Dutch Harbor and Unalaska. Karluk. ko-
diak. valdes and Sitka. AS result OF its
inquiries the committee has made many
recommendations to Congress.
Profit to the Government.
A statement Of receipts and expenditures
of the general government since Alaska De-
came part of the United States shows a
profit to the government of nearly NIL
lion dollars. The report says that In 19oz
the output of canned salmon from Alaska
was 1851, 800 cases, valued at about $S,00O.-
600, from which the government derived a
revenue of $105, 1853.
The committee recommends that some
provision be made for propagating salmon
In sufficient quantities to insure the perma-
nency of the supply. The present law re-
quiring the establishment OF hatchery py
each company and the planting of ten red
salmon fry for each red salmon caught, the
report says, cannot be enforced without
great and disproportionate expense-an ex-
pense greater than the profits OF the pusi-
ness will warrant. 1t is suggested that
hatcheries be established by the general
government at as many places as may be
found necessary, the entire expense to be
laid on those in the salmon industry in pro-
portion to the amount Of the respective
product Of each concern.
The report says that the great wealth to
be derived in the cod, herring and halibut
fisheries of the Alaskan coast is little COM
pretended because few have sought 1t.
The committee predicts that the annual
catch Of cod can be made to exceed that OF
Newfoundland or any other part OF the
world. Whether the climatic conditions of
the region. which initiate against success
full curing of fish, can be overcome has not
been fully determined.
The production of gold in Alaska. with
some fuctuation, has steadily increased
since 1898, when 1t amounted to only $2.511,-
121. In 1862 it reached the sum of $S.345. 800.
Silver has yet been produced only in linn
tied quantities, and other mineral products,
while reported. have not yet been extern
sively exploited.
Poor Transportation Facilities.
The most unfortunate of all the existing
faulty conditions In Alaska. the report
says. are the poor transportation facilities.
The committee calls attention to the fact
that Congress has provided a good govern
ment for the district Of Alaska, but sub
stantially no legislation calculated to aid
the people in development of the great
areas of gold and copper-producing terri
tory. Outside the few and scattered settle
mentS called towns, most of which are only
the centers of mining interests. there Is not
to be found single public wagon road over
which vehicles can be drawn summer or
winter In that connection the committee
says:
1.-The development of Alaska depends
more on the Improvement OF transport ton
facilities than on any other one instrument
tally. Substantially. everything consumed
by the people and everything required to
carry on business must be brought in from
outside. The inactivity of our government
Is manifest. 1t has done nothing to relieve
this condition. The action of the dominion
government has been marked contrast to
the inaction Of the United States
Effect of Bad Roads.
AS soon as gold was discovered in the re-
gion Of the Klondike the dominion govern
ment Immediately began the construction
of roads leading from Dawson to the camps
1t now has 225 miles of thoroughly built
ing is done. The results are indicated by
the fact that in 1902. when the Canadian
Yukon minor could have flour delivered to
him at s. per 100 pounds the American
miner at Chicken Greek had to pay $32 In
the summer of 1903, when the Canadian was
paying $50 for his -four, his American
friend was paying SIS. The difference in
the price of ham and bacon in the two
places was nearly p cents per pound. The
price of condensed cream was doubled to
the American; the same was true of onions
while the price of potatoes was three times
as great to the American. What is true of
this district is equally true Of the Copper
River valley, the Tanana, the Koyukuk and
other gold fields before mentioned
The committee is of opinion that great
obligation rests Oh the United States to
adopt a system of wagon roads for the re-
lief OF miners in the American territory It
says a well-constructed wagon road should
connect the waters of the Pacific with
those of the Yukon river at Eagle The
distance is about 400 miles. With this road
built. Eagle. by reason of her location,
should be the distributing point for Ameri-
can goods, for great portion of the Yukon
basin.
Amendments to Mining Laws
The report says so many and varying are
the abuses practiced under the mining laws
that the committee made general investi-
cation Of complaints and recommends
amendments to the laws Among the most
important of the changes asked for is that
there be required a certain amount of as
sessment work on each mining claim
staked out as prerequisite to the right 10
have the claim recorded; that the assess
ment work to be done on each claim dur
ing each subsequent calendar year shall be
largely increased In amount, and that no
person shall be allowed to stake out, or To-
cate. or hold except by purchase. more than
one mining claim on the same creek.
The fur seal Industry Is treated extern
sively by the committee. but the announce
ment is made that this industry will be
given separate consideration.
It Ii recommended that the government
improve the harbor at ST. Michael, in order
to permit unobstructed passage to the
mouth Of the Yukon: also that improve
ments be made at the mouth of the Snake
river In order to permit the safe landing
Of passengers to Nome.
Alaska II divided into three judicial dis
tricts. The committee says that on ac-
count Of the great size Of these districts
and the poor transportation facilities 1t il
practically impossible In some sections to
get justice. A fourth judicial district II
recommended
Delegate In Congress.
The committee says that the universal
oniniop aynour all ola asas lz that Ala lo