The Ketchikan mining news., 1907-02-08

on the Yukon River. The only known avilable point where merchandise can be transported from sea going yes sels to river boats is at St. Michael. The object of the improvement con- templated is to provide the smaller boats a more protected navigation between St. Michael and the mouth of the Yukon river, about seventy miles. Capt. Pillsbury estimates that a channel six feet deep and 100 feet wide can be secured through St. Mi chael canal at cost of S248. 900.
 Prof. Georgenson, special agent in charge of Alaska agricultural experi- ment stations, states, in letter to the Juneau Dispatch that at the Copper Station thirty acres of grain which did not mature last season was made into hay, which was sold for S4l52. 00. Now, if he will tell the public the price per ton at which the hay was sold it will be much easier to form conclusion as to the productive ness of the soil in that immediate sec tion. Hay may net always be worth s5oo a. ton, even in the interior ot Alaska. Nevertheless, the. prof. has amply demonstrated the fact, that money can be made in farming in. cer- tain sections of Alaska, for the pur- pose of supplying the hemp market If nothing more.
 The Douglas News says that though the game animals of Alaska are now protected, in measure, against the soulless devils who kill for sport, Congressman Humphrey has in- trouced bill providing that they may be slaughtered by the game hog who pays hunters license of $150. Ot course the license money so paid will accrue to the federal treasury, as do all license and occupation taxes col lected outside incorporated towns. Under territorial or. other form of popular home government the li- censes that might be collected from foreign hunters of our big game, would as is the case in the State of Maine, constitute very consider able revenue. 'i.' |.
 One man in Nome shamelessly con fessed few weeks ago that he was in the employ of a corporation and that he had, during the month preceding. staked 5l association blocks of ground in the Cape Nome precinct, embrac- ing over 5000 acres. These were staked over individual claims which had been owned and worked for the past five or six years by bona fide, con scientious miners. Upon such disrep- utable and wholly reprehensible- pro ceedings does the law of injunction feed in the Nome and Fairbanks dis trict. It is little wonder under the circumstances that the honest miners preferred one of their own to repre- sent them in Congress?
 How is this for burdensome taxa tion, etc.? According to the reports of their respective governors, the terri torial tax levy in New Mexico for 1906 was 14 mills, 1.4per cent on valuation of one-fifth the actual cash value of the property assessed that of Arizona, l.3 per cent. Considering that the official rosters of these territories are large as those of 8 sovereign state, the figures .quoted would not seem to jus tify thu bugabop ofs lBufS SfiS6HS flfs ation as a concomitant Of ten itsfaa organization in Alaska. # 2 s'' =
 Tt is reported from Washington that Gov. Hoggatt has abandoned his suggestion of a commission to revise the Alaska code, moved thereto by the advice of Speaker Cannon and leading members of Congress. If the governor can be made to realize the fact that the people of Alaska have represen- tative of their own selection in Con- gress, the further fact may dawn upon him that he has at this time no legiti- mate official business at the national capital.
 A Nome paper states that Judge Moore is just taking things easy, a Fairbanks paper says Judge Wicker sam has gone hunting, and Judge Gun nison is off on pleasure trip to New York. Yet there can be no doubt that the Federal judges of Alaska are ovreworked-Douglas News.
 And of course another division is necessary together with fifth judge to "spell" the other four in the dis charge of their arduous duties.
 The question of increasing the pay of Senators and members of the house of representatives is still on tap in both the Senate and house. Yes, well there are senators and senators, mem- bers and members; some are worth the full amount of the propose increase -others are of little value either to the country or their constituents.
 Ben Tillman has been reelected to the U. s. Senate by the almost unanimous vote of the state legislature. Notwithstanding his versatility in the several effective uses of the prover- bial pitchfork, Bejamin is popular with his fellow senators. none of whom