Yukon Valiev News
VOL. III.
KAMFAItT, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 1907
No. 47
J. P. GLUM’S ORATION
At Fairbanks on the Fourth of July He Was
Orator of the Day.
John P. Cluin, orator of the Jay at
Fairbanks on the Fourth of July, elo
quently reviewed at length the inspiring
history of the United States and eon
eluded with patriotic allusions to Alaska
as follows:
But there is another and more recent
event in American history which holds
the deepest interest for this assemblage
an«l which involves opportunities and
ambitions and possibilities and responsi
bilities of an immediate and jiersonal
nature. I refer to the purchase by the
United States, in 18t>“, of this magnifi
cent empire of the far northwest, Alaska.
Forty years ago Alaska was a name to
provoke ridicule in the deliberations of
the national congress. Today Alaska is
a name of magic interest wherever it is
spoken. Only four brief decades have
elapsed since able anil earnest and hon
est American statesmen opposed the
acquisition of Alaska because of its re
mote and inaccessible location. They
pictured it us a rugged, barren and in
hospitable region; the home of the Es
kimo and the jtolar bear, of the glacier
and the aurora—and they indulged in
other and even more uncomplimentary
statements. Today able and earnest and
honest American statesmen delight to
tell of this wonderful American north
land; of its vast area, its varied and in
exhaustible resources, its marvelous de
velopment and its splendid possibilities.
Alaska is, indeed, a rugged country,
and it required such rugged statesmen
as Seward and Sumner to achieve suc
cess in the initial struggle for conquest
—the purchase. Then followed the army
of invusiou|and of actual conquest. Hug
ged pioneers—sturdy and trained fron
tiersmen, lit to overcome the most for
midable of obstacles and to com]>el
success in the midst of the moot difficult
and unfriendly conditions. Their num
bers were few at first and their trials
and discomforts many, but they cour
ageously (assisted in their noble enter
prise of winning a vast and rich empire
from a stern and forbidding Arctic
wilderness. All honor to the daring
argonauts of our northland territory.
They have blazed the way along the
bleak coasts and into the dreary interior.
They have struggled in the midst of
privation, disappointment, danger and
death. Out of this seething crucible of
human toil and wroe the coveted gold
will com—but only in a limited degree
will it la* the |s>rtiou of those who have
Isirne the heat and burden of the day.
The story of the vicissitudes of their
fortunes will ever la- cherished among
the most valued and interesting page
of American history. The story of Alas
ka is already replete with keen and
thrilling paragraphs and episodes. Any
brief reference to that story means, of
necessity, the omission of much that is
valuable anil important.
Alaska is unique. It is a land of ex
tremes and paradoxes. Here we find
the long and somewhat dreary Arctic
night—and the midnight sun; the state
ly glacier—and a wilderness of flowers;
from <50 to 70 degrees below zero anil
from 00 to 100 degrees above zero in the
same locality within half a year; bleak
and inhospitable regions yielding mill
ions in precious gold; furious blizzards
that rage amid the snowbound fastnesses
of the mountains—while the gentle
breath of summer sways a sea of ferns,
wakens the violet and the rose and
kisses the blushing cheek of a generous
fruitage.
iii the spring of ln'JfS when Unit inein
orable stampede to the Yukon was ap
proaching the zenith of its interest and
excitement, the declaration of war with
Spain diverted public attention to more
ponderous and stirring subjects, and
that plodding march of those pilgrims
to the Klondike was almost forgotten in
the call to arms and the din of battle.
Again, two years later, in the spring of
1900, when the rush to Cape Nome was
at its height and thousands of eager ad
venturers had set their faces toward the
north coast of Bering sea, the allied ar
mies were marching towards the sacred
city of China, and the attention and in
terest of tlie nation was centered there.
Nevertheless, Alaska has held her
own fairly well in the midst of the ad
vancing columns of the world's prog
ress. She has furnished a wealth of the
choicest furs; her enormous fisheries
will continue prolific for. years and de
cades yet to come, and, although her
output of that royal metal—the glitter
ing gold—is already being estimated an
nually by millions, her mining indus
tries are but in their infancy.
There are many striking facts in con
nection with the geography of Alaska.
A considerable |s>rtion of the territory
lies within the Arctic circle. One may
stand upon Alaskan soil at a greater
distance west from Seattle than Boston
is east from that city. American terri
tory has for forty years stretched attay
to the westward nearly as far as the
Philippines. A line let fall due south
front t'nulaska would (mss a |s>int west
of the Hawaiian islands, ami a similar
line projected southward from the island
I of Altu would pass a point al**nt half
nay la-tween Honolulu and Manila.
I
t'uitrliulwl on fourth *****
TROUBLE WITH JAPS
On the Heels of War Talk Jap Vessels Are
Seized on Alaska Coast.
FAIRBANKS, July 17.—District Attorney Harlan has
been notified that the revenue cutter Perry has seized two
poaching Japanese sealing schooners and arrested sixty
five officers and men. They were taken in charge by the
United States marshal at Unga.
The news of the seizure of the vessels
mentioned above is sure to cause wide
spread interest just at this time, when
the relations between Japan and the
United States are strained almost to the
breaking point.
A Washington dispatch of July 9 said
the more conservative officials now ad
mit privately that the relations between
the two countries are approaching a
crisis. It was claimed that the United
States has information that the Japanese
are rushing preparations for war while
talking peace. The Hague correspond
ent of the London Telegraph informed
his paper that .Taper that Japan has
sent several caustic notes to the United
States, intimating that unless the United
States was able to control the lawless
acts of its citizens against Japanese sub
jects Japan would feel free to act against
California in a way to secure the pro
tection of its subjects in the future. It
is recognized that such a demand on the
part of Japan would practically amount
to a declaration of war. One of the
Japanese envoys attending The Hague
convention has openly declared that
Japan is wrong in allowing the United
States to concentrate its naval strength
in the Pacific.
At Tokio July 9 Admiral Sakemoto
said the average American naval officer
is a dandy, more used to pink teas and
women’s receptions than to hard work
and warrior qualities.
President Roosevelt is vexed at an in
terview in which Secretary Metcalf was
quoted regarding naval improvements
on the Pacific. It was rumored the
president would request the secretary’s
resignation.
The war talk caused excitement in
diplomatic circles everywhere.
BIG CLEANUP
LAST WEEK
F. M. Smith and J. A. Fisher, who
came in from Thanksgiving yesterday,
said Chute and Manley had a very
tine cleanup on Thanksgiving creek the
last of last week.
Ten men had shoveled in ten days
and two gold pans full of gold was taken
out. It was also estimated that #3,000
or |4.t)t)0 had not l>een taken out of the
lioies. The gold had not been weighed,
and guesses ran from ♦‘.’S.lSitl to $34,000
on the two pans and what remained in
the boxes, combine*].
They said Frank Stevens and ticorge
Shirley had taken out over #5,000 on
No. 1 tilen up to ten days ago. Thut
claim was reputed to have Is-en worked
| out.
It lias Is-en a rainy summer across
the divide.
Send your friends the Valley News.
CHALLENGE FOR
HORSE RAGE
In view of the kicks and talk abou
the horse race on July 4, Frank Smith
authorizes the statement that he will
wager anything from lotK) to $1,000 on
his horse against either of the other
horses in the former race—over the.
same track, either a single heat or the
two best out of three; race to be any
time within three weeks after placing of
a reasonable forfeit.
If the conditions are not made plain
enough in this statement see Frank.
Nos. 2 and 3, Hunter.
Messrs. Taylor and Campbell, laymen
<>n t>. I’. Clemen's ground. Not). 2 ami 3
Hunter, in doing a little preliminary
work Us>k out three ounces of very
very pretty gold. Mr. Clemens is highly
pleased with the ground, wrhirh he pur*
cliaaed this summer.