The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-05-21
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Tho name Alaska Is an Eskimo
word meaning great country" At
the time Russia unfurled her flag
on the western hemisphere and took
possession Of this land on the north
west corner of North America she
WAS struggling with barbarism.
Peter the Great was the czar at the
time a man with "A vision and the
grea est ruler Russia ever had. He
was curious to know whether Asia
and America were separated by sea
or constituted one undivided BODY
with different names. like Europe
and Asia. The boats for the eX-
.pedition were built according TO his
specifications.
Bcring Expedition.
During the winter of 1925 Peter
the Great died. The expedition was
started forth by Empress Catherine
,Vitus Bering, a Dane by birth. and n
navigator of considerable experience,
was made commander. The place OF
embarkation was the "other side of
the Asiatic continent" The ex-
pedition left St. Petersburg in Feb
rusry. 1928.
Bering first saw the continent Of
North American on July IS, 174l, in
latitude SO degrees 2s minutes. Two
days later he anchored at n point
which he called Cape st. Elais, for
the day on which he found it. The
German naturalist Georg Wilhelm
steller' accompanied the Bering ex-
petition. They endured no hard
ships that he did not share, in
Gliding scurvey. our first know -
edge OF Alaska fur seals comes from
Sellers notes.
The Alaska fur seal Industry Is
the only fur seal enterprise of any
Importance In the world today. One
Of the great events of general in
terest regarding Alaska was the fur
seal arbitration of 1893. Seal kill
ings are now regulated by the Hay
Elliott agreement.
Explorations and Surveys.
spain sent an expedition into
eoulheastern Alaska in 1774-75 and
nN foundation for claims. The
English navigator, Capt James
Cook, in 1878. made surveys from
which the first approximately ac-
eurate chart was made.
years later n more elaborate sur
vey OF the coast was made by Cap
tain Vancouver. which included
ever the United States geological
survey the war department and
other departments of government
service that established tho main
features of its physiognomy.
Russia Takes Possession.
The country was left open TO fur
Traders and trappers. Finally news
OF horrible excesses com mitted by
private traders and companies who
robbed, massacred or hideously
abused the natives, reached Russia.
This aroused indignation. A Rus
elan corporation was formed and
sent into Alaska with instructions
10 protect the natives and establish
trade regulations. Russia finally
assumed possession in 1899. The
administration was placed in the
hands Of tho Russian American
, company. Alexander Baranof was
made chief resident director, locat-
Ing first at Kodiak on the Island
OF Kodiak. Later headquarters were
removed to Sitka, which became
me capital land the center of n
great fur trade.
quoting from Washington Irving's
narrative, Astoria he saws OF Bar
anofs registering rule and his hard
orinking-"Over these coasting can
taihs the veteran governor exerted
some sort of sway but It was of n
peculiar and characteristic kind: 1t
was tyranny of the table. They were
oohged 10 join him in his portions
or carousals. and to drink portions
.ouie deep. Traders were obliged
~. ..u JON in these revels. Irving says
tney drank and sang and whooped
ana hiccoughed until all got half
nf FOL
ilngly, Business transa ctions pre-
sehted maudlin mixture of punch
shu peltry. 1t was said Cf Baranot
.hat with all his devotion TO the bot
we ne never lost sight of his in
"rests and he was always as keen
ouu crafty at bargain az the most
aIuaht water drinker. He was a
sen-made man. He succeeded where
"tners tailed in making money for
~ Russian government. Baranof
~ squaw wife. She never ap-
Jared at social functions. His
y'eautliul half-breed daughter mar.
ned a Russian officer in the i'm
~ thI'4l navy, When the officers OF
Az russian imperial navy came into
a'asKa sna they established the same
tSo' tSa' standards that obtained In
heir circle at home.
AFTER Baranofs administration
snued the affairs of the Russian
ernment were administered b,
pp.ner admirals or captains in the
usslen navy or army. They lived
~ eNtravagantly and did business 70
p,oseiy In every quarter that the
usslsn government withheld it's an.
N rLoval OF the company's fourtt
vnarter, Finally negotiations witt
secretary Seward, our great an
'ne territory.
United States Acquires Alaska,
49, ,ssSsNa @ passed into our hands lr
.'oI' Ihe some year Canada formed
heneral federal union. The pur
,hsse price was s7,200.00O, or less
nnS cents per acre for $4,000,
1eye ea,,es or land, Up to the Yea,
,sis Alaska produced in gold alon,
1000 900, 900. e0N "'o"'
b.A Aeout the same enormous sun
inS,en oeen obtained from the salmon
nnustry The largest catch of sal
In ,s, an any one year for export wal
~ isls-l00 900, 900 fish, weigbins
Tbjs tive hundred million pounds
ysI IN roughly equivalent 10 IN,
se OF 100000 head of beef
cbi.,shlng and trapping were tn,
de- occupations. There was n,
sora ssni ot the rich mines OF gold
''er' silver, tin or other minerals