Necessity For A Delegate.
SjicicIi of E. Henderson at Scna
torisil KnmpicL
Mr. Toastmaster, Senators. Gen
tlemen: It is said tlie girls of
Alaska are all so pretty that they
arc easy to look at. The subject
assigned to me: “M’hv Alaska
should have a Delegate in Con
gress,” is likewise easy to talk at. .
It is taken for granted, that you
gentlemen and visiting senators,
thus far on your journey have seen;
enough of the territory of Alaska
and of the intelligence of her peo
ple to know tluit, barring custom,
the constitution and everything
else, wo are clearly entitled to a
representative in the halls of con
gress. We ask access to your oom
mittee rooms and the privilege of
advising with you on the floor of
congress. We fuel that we are
only asking what you are un-:
animously willing to concede when
we ask for immediate legislation
authorizing the people of Alaska
to tiiemsclves elect whom they
would have represent them.
The very name Alaska, selected
l>y the distinguisltod Senator
Sumner, is derived from the Iudian
word Al-ak-sliak, which means
“Great Country.” You have
skirted one edge of this great coun
try ami have been borne on the
liosoin of one of its great rivers.
I)o you realize that that river is
longer than the Mississippi, is
navigable for 1965 miles, is 60
miles wide at its mouth, and dis
charges more water into Bering sea
than the Mississippi river into the1
Gulf of Mexico? The coast line of
Alaska is 26,000 miles, or 7860
miles greater than that of the At
lantic scalioard of the United
States. Alaska is twice as large
as Texas and twelve times as large
as the euipire state of New York.
Place Alaska on the map of the
United States with Point Barrow
at the nortlicrn boundary of Min-;
nesota and the narrow strip of
Alaska upon which Sitka and
Juneau are situated, would extend
to the Atlantic Ocean at Georgia;
the Nome district would fall in
western South Dakota near the
Wyoming line, and the most west
erly of the Aleutian Island group
would lie ujon the Pacifie coast
line near Los Angeles. Placed in
tlie eastern i>ortion of the United
States, Alaska would eover, in
whole or in part, twenty-three
states and territories.
Clearly, considering size or bulk
alone Alaska is entitled not only
to one, but to half a dozen dele
gates in congress.
Alaska was purchased in 1887
for $7,200,000. One mine, the
Treadwell, has since produced $22,
000,000. Mines just liack of Valdez,
in this the first season of tlicir de
velopment, will send in to Valdez!
within the next 30 days $300,000
in gold. The gold output of Alaska
proper this year will be not less
titan five million dollars.
The fisheries of Alaska last year
sold in the open markets ef the
world $9,000,000 worth of salmon.
The copper properties back of
Valdez, in the words of the mining
ex|>erts who recently visited them,
are so rich that “when transporta
tion is provided to the sea coast,
Butte, Montana and the Calumet
& Hela mines of Michigan will be
wiped off the map.” •
The coal mines, oil wells, tin
mines, forests and farms of Alaska
are yet to be developed, and will
add untold millions to the com
merce of the territory, which, ex
clusive of gold, already amounted
to $20,000,000 in the past ten
months.
We feel that we are at least as
well entitled to a representative in
congress as are the natives of
HawaiL
Another reason why Alaska
should have a delogate in congress
may he found in the fact that the
District pays to the general govern
ment a surplusage over the total
cost of maintenance of nearly $350,
000 a year.
Alaska not only pays the same
Federal taxation levied in any other
portions of the United States, but
by direct legislation it is forced to
pay a large additional tax for Fed
eral purposes, not levied anywhere
else where the flag of the United
States floats.
We ask of you that we be allow
ed to call from our bench or bar an
able advocate, a man of character,
an enthusiastic lover of Alaska;
and that when we commission him
to represent us that you will recog
nize his credentials. Later on,
when you hare allowed us to ex-1
]M«id -our own money in developing |
•ur acsourefft, aiwi have jgiven Us
sueh judicious aid as we shall mer
it it, we .dialI ask for statehood.
Out of tliis great empire we shall
carve enough states to furnish at
least as many United States senators
as sit now at the head of our ban
quet table.
Always Open Port of Entry
Sift'd! of John Y. Ostrander at
Senatorial banquet.
When t-Le rej*orts of gold in the
C<qij*T river country first attracted
the attention of the hardy and ad
venturous spirits who aftewards
laid tlie foundation of this little
city mt Valdez, the search for a har
bor from which the uakuawn re
gions of the interior of Central
Alaska—that great empire tri-.
butarv to the Copper river—might
be safely and quickly approached,
at once began.
It should l»e remembered that
thcoMastof Alaska lying north of
Sitku had not been thoroughly ex
plored. And these people were
sailing upon seas hitherto unknown
to them. Their minds were free
from bias or prejudice for or against
any particular point * • With
this feeling they followed the coast
from Sitka north. • • Yakutat
bay is the first safe port along this
route. It was soon apparent, how
ever, that this was not the place
required. It is too far from the
point desired to he reached, and is
cut off from the interior by im
passable glaciers. Examining the
map of the coast in the light of the
knowledge since acquired, you will
find the same may be said Of every
bay and inlet lying between Yaku
tat and Prince William Sound.
I am informed tbat competent
engineers in seeking for a railroad
route from the coast to tbc Yukon,
have made an examination of all the
inlets of this coast, and have been
forced to the oonclnsion that not
one of those eouth of Valdez hay is
suitable for a harbor upon which
to build tho future great city of
Alaska.
So, our argonaut? finally readied
Prince William Sound, and,ae sen
sible men, sought out that point
upon the Sound lying farthest to
the eastward and nearest to the!
scene of their future operations, a!
point which should (xtssess all the
advantages and none of the disad
vantages of other points.
The hay of Valdez was thes event
ually chosen. *. '■ _
The Lowe river pass through the
rugged mountainsof the coast range
offers no difficulties for thehuilding
of a wagon or rail road. It is about
25 miles from the beginning of the
ascent to the summit The eleva
tion of the summit is but 1800 feet,
and this is very evenly distributed
throughout the entire distance of
25 miles. At no point does the
grade exceed two per cent., the av
erage being less than one and a
half per cent. * •
1 need not enlarge upon the ex
cellence of our harbor; it speaks
for itself, practically land-locked
and protected from great storms, it
can be entered by the largest ocean
craft, which may lie safely at an
chor. In this beautiful hay. the
natural pase through the moun
tains, and the rich and boundless
country beyond. Nature seems to
have said in no uncertain language
that here at Valdez shall be built
up a great and thriving city—here
shall be the Metropolis of Alaska.
In closing I desire to heartily en
dorse the statements made by other
gentlemen in relation to the con
struction of a good wagon road
from Valdez to Copper Center, or
some other central point in the
Copper river valley, and thence to
the Yukon river; accessible from
all other points. A trunk line, so
to speak, to which the people who
will hereafter settle up and make
that country productive may, in
the process qf development, con
struct other roads, so that they may
indeed be a free people, and not
subject absolutely to the demands
and possibly extortions of any rail
road that may be built through the
country by private capital. • •
We think the government should
build such a road without delay.
There is one other question now
being very much discussed all over
the district of Alaska, viz.: The
Creation of a Territory or Terri
tories out of the District, and the
securing of representation in the
congress of the United States.
I am free to confess that the sen
timent upon this question is divid
ed; some favoring the territorial
form of government, others favor
ing the idea of a delegate in con
gress without the territorial govern
ment, if possible, and if there is no
other way to secure such represent
ation to get it by the organisation
of a territory, and still others who
are against any radical form of
government, who are unutterably
opposed to a territorial government.
I have lived in Alaska since 18%,
and during that time I have visited
and heard this subject discussed in
all parts of the District except
JHIRT WAIST JALE
Commencing Monday July 27,
We will place on sale onr entire
stock of Ladies* Shirt Waists—
The Marquise
Best Fitting aad Up-to-date Waists
manufactured in
Lawns, Fancy Dimities, Mercerized
Basket Weaves in White and Col
ored, and all the latest effects.
Shirt W aist Sale
A.L.Levy&Go.
Phone 12 Goods Delivered free
Meals a la Carte Open All Might
“W i k i d e I’s”
Most Elegant Restaurant In the Northwest
Cor. Keystone and McKinley Valdez, Alaska
Nome, and my experience is that
the great majority of business men
and the industrial interests of Alas
ka belong to the third class named.
They are satisfied with present gov
ernmental conditions and strongly
and positively opposed to any
change. I believe that if an elec
tion was to be held to-day to deter
mine the sentiment of the resi
dents of Alaska upon tbis question,
a very substantial majority would
be rolled up against the territorial
government idea.
Detects In Alaska Daws.
Speech of Edmund Smith at Sena
torial Banquet.
The first general defect is that
they were not enacted by a legisla
ture in Alaska, composed of citi
zens of the United States and resi
dents of this District, who know
the local requirements and local
interests of the people, and who are
interested in their welfare.
As to the specific defects, they
are bo numerous, glaring, and un
American, that life is too short to
attempt anything like a full state
ment of them. A few may be men
tioned, however.
First—It has been the uniform
policy of congress to encourage
railroad building in the unsettled
portions of the country; but in
Alaska, a fine of 9100 per mile per
annum has been imposed on any
one with sufficient energy, nerve
and capital to build a railroad
here. To encourage mining a li
cense tax of three dollars per stamp
per annum has been imposed on
the stamp mills. To encourage ed
ucation, no school laws have been
provided. To encourage emigra
tion hither, no adequate provision
is made to acquire a home. To
encourage all kinds of legitimate
business, a liberal fine is imposed
on all who attempt to engage in
the same. To give us secure banks
and banks and banking institu
tions, no provision is made by law
for the incorporation of the same.
To enforce the bill of rights, an
American citizen, in many in
stances is denied the right of a trial
by jury. The life of a citizen may
be taken here, if you convince the
jury you had reason to believe, or
did believe, it was necessary to
save your own or to prevent great
bodily harm; but you cannot kill
a bear in Alaska, even in self de
fence, during the closed season, and
the open season for killing bear
here is shorter than tbs open sea
son for killing governors in Ken
tucky.
As to the remedies, the first that
suggests itself is a territorial form
I of government, the tei ritory to be i
bounded on t) e south and west by
the Pacific ocean and Boring sea,
on the east by (he 141st degree of
west longitude, and on the north
by the Yukon, and thereby allow
the people of Alaska to supply a
remedy. But, if congress is still of
the opinion that we are incompe
tent to govern ourselves, and that
members of congress from Maine,
Texas and Arkansas think they
know the waots and necessities of
the people locally better than the
people know tlsemselves; then re
peal the obnoxious license system,
and in lieu thereof appropriate two
million dollars of money in the U.
S. treasury belonging to the people
of Alaska, and with this two mil
lion of dollars construct a wagon
road from Valdez to the Yukon,
via Copper Center, with a branch
from Copper Center to the wonder
ful copper deposits and gold mines
of the Nizina, another branch from
Copper Center to the Tanana, and
other roads that may be needed in
other sections of Alaska. Not cow
paths, but a wagon road similar to
those in the Yukon territory con
structed by the Dominion of Can
ada. Provide for the survey of the
agricultural lands to give effect to
our homestead laws. Representa
tion in congress by a delegate elect
ed by the people. Provide a ra
tional free school system. Extend
the incorporation laws, including
banks and all other branches of
legitimate business. Provide ade
quate court facilities to despatch
the business and settle the proj>
erty rights of the people. In this
district, the third, there should be
two judges; one with headquarters
at Eagle, the other at Valdez. To
make the circuit of the different
places to hold court in this district
requires almost one year and many
thousand miles of travel. As a re
sult of this, property rights are un
certain and many valuable prop
erties are tied up by litigation that
should receive the immediate at
tention of a court Provide for the
right of trial by jury in all cases,
except those of equitable cogniz
ances. Our gresont homestead law
is of but little value unless the
lands are surveyed, as with the
present means of transportation and
the expenses of private survey a
homestead will cost as much as the
same quantity of land can be pur
chased for in the states. Give us
this wagon road and local laws in
harmony with the institutions of
onr country, and in ten years the
United Statees will have an empire
in area here, peopled hy a half mil
lion of as intelligent, prosperous
and patriotic citizens as exist un
der the stars and stripes; and this
PACIFIC PACKING
6- NAVIGATION CO.
| Carrying U. S. Man and Express.
E. E. Cain, Operating Agent
Str. Nome City <
Str. Excelsior -
Str. Santa Ana -
Str. Newport
Sails from Soattlc for Valdez every 20
days.
Frum Seattle for Valdez. Cook inlet and
way |torts. 1st of each nmntli. From Val
dez for Seattle and way ports. Kith of each
month.
From Seattle for Valdez, Conk Inlet and
way porta 16th of each month. From Val
dez for Seattle and way ports, 1st of each
month.
From Valdez to L'nalaska and way porta
10th of each month, connecting at Valdez
with S. 'S. Excelsior.
Company reserves right to change steamers or date of sailing
without notice.
Seattle Oflico—618 First Ave. J Martin
Agent.
PHONE U.
Camp Comfort Roadhouse.
On tlio trail to all Interior points. Large com
fortable quarters with every accommodation fur
man or beast. Garden products iu season.
Wines, Liquor, Beer and Cigars.
C. C. ROBERTS, Proprietor. 12 Miles From Valdoi.
Beaver-Dam Roadhouse.
On the trail to Nizina, Chiana and the Tuuaua,
near Government Relief Cabin in Tiekheli valley.
Beat of auoommodationa. Good horao fuxl near
roadhouse
IEN THOMPSON, MANAGER
lmlf million will be “the first low
wash of waves where soon shall roll
a mighty human sea.”
General Conditions.
Speech of Hon. B. F. Millard at
Senatorial Banquet.
Mr. Toast Master, Senators, Gen
tlemen: I take it for granted that
the senators are here to learn facts,
and I am going to state them let
the results be what tliey may.
The so-called military road. At
least one senator has ridden over a
portion of the road, and it is a fair
sample of the whole. Wliere rock
work was necessary they made a
fairly good trail. But in many
places it is the same as a prospect
or’s pack trail, with this difference,
it is cut out wider and run through
more mud and spring holes, as they
did not try to avoid them; and in
many places the rocks and roots
will pull shot's off horses as fast as
one can put them on. Now, sirs,
what we want is that the U. S. con
grew* appropriate enough money to
construct a good wagon road from
Valdez to the Yukon, with branch
es to the mines. And see that the
money is honestly spent in con*
structing the road.
Gentlemen we haven’t always
lived in Alaska. Long years ago
when manhood was young some
there are here to-night who heard
the long roll call to arms for the
old flag, and they went forth to
light the battle of their country.
We realize that we are living near
a disputed boundary line, and the
time may come when we will be
called upon to defend that bound
ary. I take it that no Alaskan is
in favor of giving sufficient land to
pitch a Canadian prospector's tent
upon, or harbor large enough to
float a Siwasli canoe in of tlie land
or water now claimed bv this coun
try.
I am not in favor of a territorial I
form of government at the present
time. We are not ready for it and
not prepared.
I saw by the papers that the last
experts are quoted as saying that
that tliey st> w all of the properties
inside except one, which the man
agement would not permit them to
see. Gentlemen, 1 believe the ex
perts to be honorable men, but mis
informed, They did not see one
tenth of the value of the mineral
claims of the Chittyna valley. 1
was not following them but my
business called me to the poiuts
they visited, and I maintain the
above are facta.
Place one point of a divider at
the junction of tlie Kotziua and
Kluvesna and strike a circle with
a radius of ten miles, and you en
circle 250 claims, fifty of which
have splendid showings, and the
ore from all of the claims could be
run by cable tram to ccutral poiut
of this circle, which is just 110
miles from Valdez hv railroad
route.
I visited all the properties of any
note, measured them and sampled
the veins as cold-hloodedlv as one
could, and, gentlemen, I wish to
repeat the mineral is there. Trans
portation is all we want, and we
are looking to congress for aid, and
expect help to open this great coun
try of mineral wealth. We need a
rail road, Imt helpue to get a wagon
road, and that will enable us to
take machinery to the claims, and
we can then work the m Ln.es and
open them up.
Miller Gulcli.
Miller Gulch, July 20.—So tar
no fault can l>e found with water,
there is plenty of it, and if it con
tinues to rain as it has for two
weeks the usual shortage will not
occur.
Meat is plentiful; the pastoral
scene on the divide would impress
a newcomer that this a grazing in
stead of a mining country. Eiglit
teen steer* are here now, far too
many for the season.
Everybody is steady at work and
all are doing well.
A base hall nine has heen organ
ized here. The member* are doing
a little practicing, their intention
being to challenge the Valdez men
when they return this fall.
Billy Finical has been sick with
mountain fever; lie will soon leave
for Valdez.
Oklahoma Bill leaves soon for
Valdez on the Elevated.
THE TAME HAVEN.
Prospector Ralph a raven has;
Its coat is slick and black,
It follows him to work each day.
It roost* upon hi* pack.
It follow* him ehan up the creek
To where lie pick* the rock,
And patiently it waits all day
Until it's six o’clock.
It followed him to Xels’ one day,
Wiio did not know ’twas tame,
’Twas diiduxl up in the soup next
day,
And Mulligau was its name. Ysoit
Parker Bunk House, on Key
stone Ave. Bunk, stove and wood.
All comforts, 25c per day.
Before |>utting on your new Roof
set1 the Elaterite Rooting—get fig
ures from McCillicuddy.
Chase and Sanborn’s Celebrated
Coffee is to be had at Hemple Jk
Dougherty’s.