Amador ledger., 1907-07-05
LETTER FROM ALASKA.
Dear Ledger:

bedr LeORer.
Since my flying trip to jackson
last November, l have travelled more
than eleven thousand miles, over thi1-
ty-six states and territories, spent
several weeks attending the hospital
clinics in New York and Boston. lee
tured on Alaska nearly fifty times, and
am now back again in the mighty
Northland.
Alaska's development continues, in
spite OF its draw backs, chief of which
is the utterly vicious and indefenslhle
tax which is still eXacted from the
people who are heroically Drawing a
hard climate and harder government
to win wealth for themselves and fam
lilies.
The gold output last year was over
twenty two millions (s22, 0OO,O 0O) the
copper and coal deposits are proving
of wonderful richness, but their de-
velopment is still in its infancy. A
smelter at HadleY, near the southern
end of the Panhandle, is the only one
yet In operation, but it can only han
die the ore in its immediate vicinity.
Prince Williams Sound is full of
islands rich in copper, and so is the
neutrality-suspicious.. The ore now
mined is sent to smelters near Seattle,
ships returning southwark taking it
at very low rate, as they need the
ballast.
The Alaska Central railroad is still
pushing toward the interior, but will
not reach the great coal deposits (de-
scribed ia former letter. until next
year. Then smelters will be built
wherever it Is most feasible to bring
the coal and copper together, and the
region will begin to show what it is
worth.
Times have been hard in Juneau
and Douglas the past few months on
account of the great Treadwell mines
being closed by strike. Troops were
brought from fort w. Ii. Seward to
preserve order, but no blood was shed.
Business was at standstill and gen
eral depression was felt by every body.
After time this state of affairs became
monotonous, and the men gradually
returned to work. Vest erday the troops
we're taken away, and all are hoping
for the old fine nrosneritv
Three of the best mines near juneau
have been idle on account of lawsuits,
for about two years. This spring the
legal tangles have mostly been
The iooseness of the
laws regarding claim stalking is re-
sponsible for this uncertainty of titles
Perhaps the fault lies in the officials,
who allow half a dozen persons to
record locations of the same ground,
if they are willing to pay the record
ing fee, which fee goes into the
recorders pocket.
The Perseverance Mine, which pro-
misses to rival the TreadwelI, began
active work early this month. Fifty
stamps are now dropping and it is ex-
pected that three hundred will be in
place within year. Two plants Will
soon begin to crush rock.
Schools have just closed. The
Juneau high school would be credit
to any town, as far as work and re-
suits are concerned.
Shipping fresh halibut and salmon
is an important industry that has
been developed here recently. Some
times the fish are mild cured" that
is packed with very little salt, but
usually frozen with an ice plant in
boxes weighing several hunrded
pounds each. In this way they are
shipped safely even as far as London.
Fruit is plentiful now. Oregon
Strawberries, California oranges,
cherries, apricots and Australian
apples, all first class in quality and
price.
Juneau is lively to-day. The first
excursion steamer of the season lies
at the wharf, and the town is full of
tourists. The Indians are out in full
force with curIos to sell. which the
tourists buy freely, and express their
wonder at finding town with such
Iuxuries as telephones, electric lights,
plate glass store fronts, etc.
Twenty seven hundred dollars have
been raised for Fourth of July cele-
bration. How is that for a frontier
town? Yours same-as ever,
q. Ii. q.
Juneau, Alaska, June IS, 1907.