The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-10-18
NEW Line WILL
MARK BOUNDARY


London. oct. ls.-When the United
states purchased Alaska from Russia
II was believed that there never could
arise between II and Great Britain l
dispute over the boundary between the
territory ana British Columbia Tho
boundary was fixed under u treaty
made in 1925 between Russia and
Great Britain, one end Of IL To cor
sist Of the 1Alst meridian and the 9th
er end to he constituted by a line
drawn across the summit of several
mountain peaks from Mount Et. Elias
10 and through the Portland Canal.
So sure were those interested tha.
the boundary was plainly fixed that
charles Sumner declared. II am gla I
to begin with what is clear and he
yond question. l refer TO the bouudar-
JOS liked by the treaty"
Concerning the 600-mile stretch
from the Arctic ocean southwark, with
the boundary consisting of the l4lst
meridian. says Frederic J. Haskin
there could he no dispute which could
not be solved by careful measure
mcntS but southwark of that the 9TH
81 6OO-mile stretch is made up of an
irregular boundary separating the
Alaskan panhandle from the territory
81 British Columbia. AS far back as
1879 a dispute between England and
the United States arose, and a modus
,irendl with reference to the Stililne
i,yer vas entered into. and similar
asreemen. composed for the time be-
iag the difference that arose I'm 1899
relating 10 me country at the head OF
the Lynn canal.
Line Disputed.
Negotiations for the permanent set.
iIemcnt Of the disputed boundaries
We're entered into shortly thereafter.
and these resulted in the negotiation
Of a treaty in 1904. creating the Tri-
hunal Of London composed of six en-
inent jurists, three from each country.
which was 10 hear the evidence I'm the
case and To settle the controversy
once and for all. This tribunal heard
the evidence, reached it's decision and
commission TO carry out its views
was appointed, all within eight months
after the signing OF the treaty.
The tribunal determined which
mountain peaks were referred To in
Tho treaty Of 1926 and marked them
On a map for the use of the commits
sion upon which developed the physi-
ca! task Of fixing the boundary in ac-
,prdancc with the findings of the tri-
hunal
Before the discovery Of gold in
Alaska few people bothered their
heads about boundaries in what
seemed TO be desolate region which
al the land IN dispute was not worth
the money and pains 1t would cost
10 settle the argument. Bur when the
rush To the klondike began 'he Can
adlan government constructed q telc-
graph overland to Dawson. while the
United States laid cable from Seat
uo TO Sitka, and a telegraph line To
valdez and Fort Egbert.
Il was then that Alaska became
worth considering and the United
STAGES and Great Britain pointed to
different mountain peaks rs those of
l>-i, witn the result that the treaty
creating the Tribunal of London fol-
lowed apscc.
Tho real work Of marking Tho Alas
kan boundary, under the direction OF
tho Alaskan boundary commission,
fell upon the shoulders of Thomas
riggs, Jr, the American engineer in
charge, and his associates, while Can
ada had Il similar party in the field
working in conjunction with them. Mr..
Riggs was no new man when he went
To- Alaska 10 help tie ground houn-
u1ry % the stars, and to fix IL so per-
manon,ly and so definitely that even
though mountains were TO remove
themselves into the sea and valleys
We're 10 rise up into hills, that boun-
dairy would still be fixed. lie had nit
the trail" when gold was discovered In
Alaska, and had wrestled with the
transportation problems upon those
whose solution depends the opening up
Of this virgin empire Of natural
wealth.
The work of marking the Alaskan
boundary will have cost tho United
states approximately thrco-Quarters
OF million dollars when II is finished
next year. II represents some of the
hest boundary work in the world. ana
me Go0-mile section of IL reaching
from Mount 81. Elias TO the Arctic
ocean. Is the worlds longest exactly
surveyed straight line. The southern
part of this line had to he run across
mountains covered with perpetuai
SHOWS and over glaciers to eternal
lee, But as the work progressed
norihward the elevation became lover
ana from the White river to the Arc
IT, there Is n brief summer s2ao3n
from ice and cold. aud region where
came on the land and game IN the
water abound in profus.on while
sheep In uunumbered thousands. wide
auuered moose, caribou and be1r'-
and whore, i'm the words OF Mr.. Riggs,