The Ketchikan mining news., 1907-01-18
a>lline ten, D. c.,
5.l.reml1..n y. DOE.

Aaa-ka.
 Alaska i. row governed under a eodp of law, enacted by tou@1ess and approved lure {. l:ao. since the passage ef this aet the development of the country has been wonderful, and Legislation has necessarily leen unable 10 keep pace wilh it. growth. This agt Wa. great step in advance. and il, working, has been all that itS aut hois could reasonably expect. Ii Uas -ome@hat hastily constructed and is tcfestive in many Way>. To rem edy these defects and provide such alditosal leg station as will meet the growing neeG> of this country. I think il would he Wi,e to Provide some means bF which the Alaskan eode laws could le revised.
 To this end would recommend that Congress provide for commission to visit all parts ef Alaska. study the ne.d~ ol the various districts. m-d make such recommendations which. il enlctsd into law. would conduce to tlc letter welfare of Alaska. This commission ceald present in one bill Il ,ally everything that would he noed ful in the way u legislation fora con siderable period of year, and would decrease. the demand, npon Gongre,, for piecemeal legislation. which seems To he constantly increasing.
 There are. however. some matters of urgent importance which have need oi the immediate action of Congress.
 First ot importance is the creation of an additional judicial division 10 embrace that portion of Alaska along the coast west ot Nakutat Bay and extending to the interior for a dis tance of 2Uo milv,. Thi, proposed district i. noW embraced within the thrd judicial district and entail, work u0oa the judge which il i- impossible for one man to co. The increase of bushes, et the thiri judicial division has been very ereat within the last two lea,. and with the increasing developments in Prince William Sound and the Copper Rivor valleys tbo necessity for an additional judicial division k urgent.
 Owing to the present congestion of business in the courts of the second and third judicial divisions, caused by the large amount of litigation. a ffth judge ,hould be provided for Alaksa. thi. judge to lIe assigned to such dis 1ricl q, tho AttolneF-Gencral might direct a> condition, warranted.
 Owing to the peculiar nature of the deposits of gold in the Fairbanks dis trict and in the Nome district. there have ieon many conflicts oyer the ownership of very valuable mining cains. causing endless voXation and trouble and deprivn2 rightful owners of the Use of their property for pro longcd periods. In some instances there has been as much a- a million dollars of gold on 8 dump awaiting months for q decision as to the right ful ownership. and then perhaps a year or more for an appeal. In many instances these contests of title have ,avored of hlackmail. The originator, of suits, knowing the congested con ditions of the courts, have taken ad- vantage of the fact to tie up vast sums of money in the hope of ctiecting com promise. If q quick determination oi these suits could he had. there would undoubtedly he fewer of them. and a> there will he no need of additional general court officers for this addi- tional judge the expense will bo small.
 owing to the activity in railroad construction which now prevails i1 some sections and seems to be onl1 starting. l would recommend that q law he enacted prohibiting the sale oi liquor or the licensing the sale thereof at any place within radius Of j miles oi construction camp of q railroad ol other enterprise employing one hund- red OF more men. except in incor- poratcd towns.
 Owing to the peculiar nature of the deposits of gold in the placer district, of the interior of Alaska. the general mining laws of the United states do not seem to be entirely applicable and have been the cause of much conten- tion and litigation. and some relief should be given. Tie remedy should be well thought out and could be best found by q commission on revision of the laws. which have already recom- monded.
 Owing to the recent important dis coVerieo of rich copper deposits near the one hundred and forty-hfth merid- ian. the boundary line between Alaska and the Yukon Territory. | have to recommend that the necessary money be appropriated for the permanent i marking of this boundary. as it is l along this line that the most recent discoveries of mineral of value have been made. As conditions exist the locators are in doubt as to whether their claims are in Alaska or in the Yukon Territory.
 The present game Jaw in force in Alaska is very unsatisfactory. and should be so changed as to give nat ives and residents of Alaska greater fran1o1o in l,il1irtr of in ,rayno opi