USA > Alaska > Alaska, its neglected past, its brilliant future > Part 14
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good and most desirable as food for millions of in- habitants of the United States.
Unite with all of this a native population disposed to perfect friendliness, with such isolated cases to the contrary that they are not worth recording, and the men and women who wish to colonize Alaska, may find both homes and lucrative employment, though they never reach the El Dorado or Klondyke section, that has made the Territory so popular to-day.
TEACHERS AND EMPLOYEES IN CHURCH MISSION SCHOOLS IN 1896. Episcopalians.
Point Hope .- J. B. Driggs, M.D., Rev. H. E. Edson.
Anvik .- Rev. and Mrs. J. W. Chapman, Miss Bertha W. Sabine.
Fort Adams .- Rev. and Mrs. Jules L. Prevost, Mary V. Glen- ton, M.D.
Juneau. - Rev. Henry Beer.
Douglas Island. - Rev. A. J. Campbell.
Sitka .- Bishop Peter Trimble Rowe.
Congregational.
Cape Prince of Wales .- Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Lopp, Rev. and Mrs. Thomas Hanna.
Swedish Evangelical.
Kotzebue Sound .- Rev. David Johnson, and Rock, a native assistant.
Golovin Bay .- Rev. August Anderson, Rev. and Mrs. N. O. Hultberg, and Dora, a native assistant.
Unalaklik .- Rev. and Mrs. A. E. Karlson, Miss Malvina Johnson.
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Kangekosook .- Stephan Ivanoff.
Koyuk .- Mr. Frank Kameroff.
Yakutat .- Rev. and Mrs. Albin Johnsen, Rev. K. J. Hen- dricksen, Miss Selma Peterson, Miss Hulda C. Peterson.
Roman Catholic.
Kosyrevsky .- Rev. Paschal Tosi, S. J., prefect apostolic of Alaska ; Rev. R. Crimont, S. J .; and Brothers Rosati, S. J .; Marchesio, S. J .; Cunningham, S. J .; Sisters M. Stephen, M. Joseph, M. Winfred, M. Anguilbert, M. Helvise, and M. Damascene.
Nulato .- Rev. A. Ragaru, S. J .; Rev. F. Monroe, S. J., and Brother Giordano, S. J.
Shageluk .- Rev. William Judge, S. J.
Urhhamute, Kuskokwim River .- Rev. A. Robant, S. K.
St. Josephs, Yukon Delta .- Rev. J. Treca, S. J .; Rev. A. Parodi, S. J .; Rev. F. Barnum, S. J .; Brothers Twohigg, S. J .; and Negro, S. J., and Sisters M. Zypherine, M. Benedict, M. Prudence, and M. Pauline.
Juneau .- Rev. J. B. Rene and Sisters Mary Zeno, M. Peter, and M. Bousecour.
Moravians.
Bethel .- Rev. and Mrs. John H. Kilbuck, Mr. and Mrs. Ben- jamin Helmick, Miss Mary Mack, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Romig, M.D.
Quiegaluk .- Mr. Ivan Harrison (Eskimo).
Tulaksagamute. - Mr. and Mrs. David Skuviuk (Eskimos).
Kalchkachagamute .- Mr. and Mrs. George Nukachluk (Es- kimos).
Akaigamiut .- Mr. Neck (Eskimo).
Ugavig .- Rev. and Mrs. Ernst L. Webber.
Quinchaha .- Mr. L. Kawagleg and Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Suruka (Eskimos).
Carmel .- Rev. and Mrs. John Schoechert, Rev. S. H. Rock, Misses Mary and Emma Huber, Miss P. C. King.
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Methodist Episcopal.
Unalaska .- Miss Agnes S. Sowles, Miss Sarah J. Rinch.
Friends. Douglas City .- Mr. and Mrs. C. N. Reploge. (No report.) Kake .- Mr. and Mrs. S. R. Moon. (No report.)
Baptists.
Wood Island .- Rev. and Mrs. Curtis P. Coe, Miss Lulu Good- child, and Miss Hattie Snow.
Presbyterian.
Point Barrow .- L. M. Stevenson.
St. Lawrence Island .- Mr. and Mrs. V. C. Gambell.
Haines .- Rev. and Mrs. W. W. Warne, Miss Anna M. Sheets, Miss Fannie H. Willard (native).
Hoonak .- Rev. and Mrs. Alvin C. Austin, Mrs. John W. McFarland, and Mrs. Mary E. Howell.
Juneau .- Rev. and Mrs. James H. Condit, Rev. and Mrs. L. F. Jones, Miss Sue Davis, Miss M. E. Gould, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Moore (natives).
Sitka .- Rev. and Mrs. Alonzo E. Austin, Mr. and Mrs. U. P. Shull, Dr. B. K. Wilbur, Mrs. E. C. Heizer, Mrs. M. A. Saxman, Mrs. A. Carter, Mrs. L. S. Wallace, Miss A. J. Manning, Mrs. T. K. Paul (native), Mr. P. Solberg. Fort Wrangel .- Rev. and Mrs. Clarence Thwing.
Jackson .- Rev. and Mrs. J. Loomis Gould, Mrs. A. R. McFarland.
Church of England.
Buxton .- Bishop and Mrs. Bompas, Rev. Frederick F. Fle- welling, Miss MacDonald, Mr. R. J. Bowen. Fort Selkirk .- Rev. and Mrs. B. Totty.
Rampart House .- Rev. and Mrs. H. A. Naylor, Rev. and Mrs. T. H. Canham.
From Rev. Sheldon Jackson's annual report as Educa- tional Superintendent in Alaska.
CHAPTER XXXV.
EDUCATION IN ALASKA.
Tº O the missionaries of the Greek Church, as the pioneer religion of Russian America, and after- ward to other religious denominations, of which the Presbyterian undoubtedly took the lead, the pres- ent progress of education in Alaska is unquestionably
due. But religious enterprises, unaided, were not sufficiently strong to cope with the ignorance that embraced the whole vast Territory. That the very people who should have aided the churches in their task should have worked directly against them is very greatly blamable for their difficulties. The natives could not comprehend how men, coming from the same countries, speaking the same language and in all outward figure resembling the good men who worked for their salvation, should give to them vices worse than those to which their unregenerate natures were accustomed. It did not reach their intelli- gence until debauchery and drunkenness had seized and wound around them with all their unwholesome fascinations. Thus the contentions with the evils that were, and those that were transported by unconscion- able traders made the task so arduous that many a good man yielded up the struggle, sometimes only
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with his life. The Russian Government gave full sup- port to the Greek Church in its every effort for the conversion of the people, and, toiling against fearful odds, the most of their mission stations still remain. In 1792 the first school was formed by Gregory Sheli- koff, who rightly conjectured that secular education would aid mission work. This school was established on Kadiak Island, which was for years the capital of Alaska. Later another school was started in a small way at St. Paul's Harbor, and was continued under the supervision of the Alaska Trading Company, while it held sway over the fur-seal industry. Since then it has been in the care of the Government, under Dr. Sheldon Jackson, who is the Chief Superintendent of Education in Alaska. There are now fourteen schools in the Territory all under Government supervision. These are irrespective of the numerous missions before mentioned. One of the most important of these is the Sitka Industrial School, to which Captain Henry Glass, of the United States Steamer Jamestown, gave such an impetus in 1881. He took upon himself to look into matters with the determination of finding the causes of the inconsistent manner in which the na- tives received the benefits offered by the school. He found rum one of the chief objects against education. Children were sent to school a while, and then re- moved, girls particularly being derelict. He soon dis- covered that the children were being sold, debauched
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or married for the sake of gain to obtain the liquor. With no delay he abolished the sale of molasses, with which the natives had soon learned to make fire-water -- hoo-chinoo, a despicable intoxicant. He would not permit whiskey to enter the port however labelled; and he introduced a system of marking, or labelling the houses, having the children of each designated by a corresponding tablet, made of tin, and fastened by a string around the child's neck. At the opening of school each child was registered, the delinquents looked after, and if no good reason for absence was given there was a small fine collected. He also organ- ized a native police force, marking them with James- town in bright letters on their caps and silver stars on their breasts. This discipline gave an impetus to the work so long ago begun by the missionaries, and education started in earnest in Sitka.
Now in this school, and in the one at Haines, in fact. in nearly all, a system of training is carried on, with the ordinary lessons of the day schools. Excellent teach- ers are in the lead, and girls are taught all kinds of domestic employment, while the boys stand back with pride in the brown and smiling faces as the carpenter- ing, smithing, building and improving is credited to their toil. It is really true that a greater part of the work on additional buildings is the handiwork of the boys of the different schools. They are not only ca- pable of building, but of protecting the precious
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wooden structures, and the fire brigades are among the most admired adjuncts of the schools.
It is worthy of note that among the Aleuts, or inhabi- tants of the Aleutian Islands, which of course includes Unalashka the "Boston of Western Alaska"-that cul- tivation was pretty well commenced before the Terri- tory came into our possession, Veniaminoff having compiled an Aleutian alphabet and grammar taught the natives to read and write quite correctly. It is surprising with what alacrity the inhabitants through- out Alaska learn the English language, it being con- sidered by many foreigners the most difficult of all languages.
There are several fine schools having departments particularly devoted to training girls in the common school branches, house-keeping, dress-making, plain sewing, and especially in morality, the latter being expressly necessary because of the dreadful depravity to which the sex had been consigned for ages.
In contrast with the manner of many other people upon whom enlightenment is forced, the Alaskans, with very few exceptions, are teachable, intelligent and eager to learn. They grasp quickly, and remember tena- ciously, being willing to give up family, home and al- most life itself for the sake of learning. When girls are taken from the schools, which happens sometimes, they go against their will, being not only opposed to the life once absolutely their lot, but conscientiously
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unwilling to sin, as well as devotedly attached to teachers, school and the duties required of them.
In Alaska there is not the general wild rush for free- dom so universally characteristic of children used to civilization. The world of wonders, open to the Indian children and even adult scholars, is so fascinating that the hour for leaving them is received without any de- monstration of delight. To them the search for knowledge opens a beautiful vista of intellectual pleas- ure. The minds of both youth and more advanced age have lain fallow, like the soil of their own val- leys, and like it they are ready to take in and nourish the seeds planted by their cultivated and honest teach- ers. Immediate growth begins. If tares are planted it is not the fault of the soil which springs to nourish them no more willingly than it would have given vigor to wheat. So were the benighted people not blam- able when they fell a prey to the vices imported by wicked men. The task of uprooting the evil is far more difficult than that of implanting the good, but pa- tient perseverance is coming to its reward. The sup- port and protection of the National Government is doing a great deal toward the much desired end. Many more schools and missions are needed, how- ever, especially in the towns to which the populations are wildly rushing. Here it is specially desirable that morality be taught to the young, who must grow up in an atmosphere far less pure than the snow-swept mountain passes through which they come.
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A single trait among the real natives, is their entire devotion to the laws and traditions of their ancestors, and augurs well for their future respect for wholesome laws, when they have been taught and thoroughly con- vinced of their necessity to their welfare. In fact, even now the majority of law breakers in Alaska are not natives at all, for it is a marked characteristic of nearly all savage and uncivilized people to respect the laws which govern them, and to submit to the punish- ment of any infringement without a murmur.
The principal centres of education thus far are the Sitka Industrial School, and the Haines' Training School at Chilcat. There are other schools also under Government supervision at Juneau, Kadiak, Una- lashka, Jackson, St. Paul's and St. George. There is an Indian Girls' Training School at Wrangel, in which domestic duties are wisely taught, as well as the usual every day education. The call is not for better schools nor more faithful teachers, but for more of them. There should be excellent schools established at every prin- cipal point in the Territory, so that the rising gener- ation, whose admixture will require it, shall receive rigorous discipline and more careful teaching than are necessary to the education of the purely native ele- ment. Therefore with mining machinery and tools for building, let school supplies be forthcom- ing, together with the facilities for teaching prop- erly, so that there may be no half Christian
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natives to redeem from vice. Educate all as they are old enough to learn. Attend to that duty as carefully as it is fostered in the States, and then a hardy, intelli- gent and industrious race will populate and cultivate Alaska.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
CANADIAN LEGISLATION.
M R. W. OGILVIE, the Dominion Land Sur- veyor, who is also officially Chief of the Can- adian Government's Corps of Explorers, has made full surveys and reported to his government the richness of the gold mines on the Klondyke River, and his observations as surveyor and explorer are considered authentic and accurate by Canadian au- thorities, who regard him a capable and conscientious officer, and one that would not make any false state- ment, or take any financial advantage of the Gov- ernment.
The Canadian Government urges no one to attempt the journey to Klondyke after the middle of Septem- ber.
Major Walsh has been placed in charge of the Klondyke gold regions, with a force of one hundred Mounted Policemen and the officials state that no dis- crimination will be made between men of different nationalties in the district, and that the regulations will not be oppressive and that life will be as safe as in large eastern cities.
While provisions and outfits are at present quite high, no doubt next summer goods will be greatly
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diminished in price, as the commercial companies in- terested in the region have a large amount of all kinds of needed supplies ready for shipment direct to the towns and mines of the gold regions.
The latest summary of the Canadian, Yukon, and Klondyke regions has been issued by the Toronto Newspaper Union, in the August. 1897, mimber, of its Illustrated Gazetteer as follows:
"Miners must enter their claims. Entry can only be granted for alternate claims, known as creek claims, bench claims, bar diggings and dry diggings, and that the other alternate claims be reserved for the Crown to be disposed of by public auction or in such manner as may be decided by the Minister of the Interior.
"The penalty for trespassing upon a claim re- served for the Crown will be the immediate cancella- tion of any entry or entries which the person trespass- ing has obtained, whether by original, or entry, or pur- chase, for a mining claim, and the refusal by the Gold Commissioner of any application which the trespasser may make at any time for claims, and that the Mounted Police, upon requisition from the Gold Com- missioner, shall expel the offender from Canadian soil.
"Upon all gold mined on the claim referred to in the regulation for the government of placer mining along the Yukon River and its tributaries, a royalty of 10 per cent. shall be levied and collected by officers, to be appointed for the purpose, provided that the
C
C
--
C
FINE TOTEM-WORKED CHILKAT COAT.
CANADIAN LEGISLATION. 257
amount mined and taken from a single claim does not exceed $500 per week, and in this case there shall be levied and collected a royalty of 10 per cent. upon the amount so taken out, up to $500, and upon the excess or amount taken from any single claim over $500 per week, there shall be levied and collected a royalty of 20 per cent .; such royalty to form part of the consoli- dated revenue, and to be accounted for by the officers who collect the same in due course.
"That the time and manner in which such royalty shall be collected and the persons who shall collect the same, shall be provided for by regulations to be made by the Gold Commissioner, and that the Gold Com- missioner be and is hereby given authority to make such regulations and rules accordingly.
"Default of payment of the royalties for ten days, shall entail cancellation of the claim. Any attempt to defraud the Crown by withholding any part of the revenue thus provided for, by making false statements of the amount taken out may be punished by cancella- tion of the claim, in respect of which fraud or false statements have been committed or made; and that in respect of facts as to such fraud or false statement or non-payment of royalty, the decision of the Gold Commissioner shall be final."
Another order in Council reads as follows:
"Whereas clause 7 of the regulations governing the disposal of placer mines on the Yukon river and its
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tributaries in the North-West Territories, established by order in Council of the 21st of May, 1897, pro- vides that if any person shall discover a new mine, and such discovery shall be established to the satisfaction of the Gold Commissioner, a claim for 'bar diggings' 750 feet in length may be granted; and, whereas, the inten- tion was to grant a claim of 750 feet in length to the discoverer of the new mine upon a creek or river, and not to grant a claim of that length for 'bar diggings, His Excellency, by and with the advice of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, is pleased to order that clause 7 of the said regulations governing the dis- posal of placer mines on the Yukon River and its trib- utaries shall be and the same is hereby amended, so that the above grant to a discoverer may apply to creek and river claims instead of to 'bar diggings.'"
CANADIAN MINING REGULATIONS.
If a claim is located within 10 miles of the Gold Commissioner's Office, it must be recorded within three days, but a day extra will be allowed for an addi- tion ten miles or more. The entry fee is $15 for the first year and after that $10 a year.
Entry must be made in the name of the applicant who has staked the claim.
No post must be removed by the holder or any one interested after it has been recorded.
A grant, for placer mining, must be renewed every vear and the entry fee paid annually.
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No miner can receive a grant for more than one claim in the same locality unless it is purchased.
A number of miners can make arrangements to work their claims together, but they must register at the Gold Commissioner's Office and pay a fee of $5 each.
A miner may sell, mortgage or dispose of his clain and a certificate of title will be given him by the Gold Commissioner on registering and paying a fee of $5.
A miner, holding a grant, has the exclusive right of entry on his claim for working purposes and the con- struction of his home and to all the proceeds obtained, but no surface rights are granted him.
As much water running through or past a claini as the Gold Commissioner thinks necessary can be used by the miner if not otherwise lawfully appro- priated. He can drain his own claim free of charge.
Unless sickness, permission for absence or some other cause prevents the grantee, or some one ordered by him, from working on working days for 72 hours, the claim shall be considered abandoned and open for any person to enter and occupy.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
ALASKAN LEGISLATION.
I N going over the volumes containing the various acts in reference to Alaska and its government and the appropriation for carrying out the provisions of these laws passed by the Congresses since 1867, I find they would make a large volume of themselves.
Therefore I will make only such selections as are deemed of special interest to the readers in connection with the scope of this work.
Even the making of the appended list of the laws passed and where they may be found for reference has been an arduous task, but the aim has been accuracy throughout.
THE ALASKAN PURCHASE.
In order that the reader may accurately understand the terms of the Alaska purchase I have had a copy made of the original document from the Government's revised statutes. Other enactments by Congress, as far as we think they will interest the reader upon this subject, have been obtained and inserted, from ex- tracts bearing upon the subject named.
Cession of the Russian possessions in North America, by his Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias to the United States of America; concluded March
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30, 1867; ratified by the United States May 28, 1867; exchanged June 20, 1867; proclaimed by the United States June 20, 1867.
A proclamation by the President of the United States;
Whereas, a treaty between the United States of America and his Majesty the Emperor of all the Rus- sias was concluded and signed by their respective Plenipotentiaries at the city of Washington, on the thirtieth day of March, last, which treaty, being in the English and French languages, is, word for word as follows:
The United States of America and His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, being desirous of strength- ening, if possible, the good understanding which ex- ists between them, have, for that purpose, appointed as their Plenipotentiaries, the President of the United States, William H. Seward, Secretary of State; and His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, the Privy Councillor Edward de Stoeckl, his Envoy Extraordi- nary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States,
And the said Plenipotentiaries, having exchanged their full powers, which were found to be in due form, have agreed upon and signed the following articles:
ARTICLE I.
His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias agrees to cede to the United States, by this convention, im- mediately upon the exchange of the ratifications
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thereof, all the territory and dominion now possessed by his said Majesty on the continent of America and in the adjacent islands, the same being contained within the geographical limits herein set forth, to wit: The eastern limit is the line of demarkation between the Russian and the British possessions in North America, as established by the convention between Russia and Great Britain, of February 28-16, 1825. and described in Articles III and IV of said conven- tion, in the following terms:
"Commencing from the southernmost point of the island called Prince of Wales Island, which point lies in the parallel of 54 degrees 40 minutes north latitude, and between the 13Ist and the 133d degree of west longitude, (meridian of Greenwich,) the said line shall ascend to the north along the channel called Portland Channel, as far as the point of the continent where it strikes the 56th degree of north latitude: from this last-mentioned point, the line of demarkation shall fol- low the summit of the mountains situated parallel to the coast, as far as the point of intersection of the 14Ist degree of west longitude, (of the same meridian) and finally from the said point of 141 degrees, in its pro- longation as far as the Frozen Ocean.
"IV. With reference to the line of demarkation laid down in the preceding article, it is understood-
"Ist. That the island called Prince of Wales Is- land shall belong wholly to Russia," (now, by this cession to the United States.)
ALASKAN LEGISLATION. 263
"2nd. That whenever the summit of the moun- tains which extend in a direction parallel to the coast from the 56th degree of north latitude to the point of intersection of the 14Ist degree of west longitude shall prove to be at the distance of more than ten ma- rine leagues from the ocean, the limit between the British possessions and the line of coast which is to belong to Russia as above mentioned, (that is to say, the limit to the possessions ceded by this convention,) shall be formed by a line parallel to the winding of the coast, and which shall never exceed the distance of ten marine leagues therefrom."
The western limit within which the territories and dominion conveyed are contained passes through a point in Bering's Straits on the parallel of sixty-five degrees thirty minutes north latitude, at its intersec- tion by the meridian which passes midway between the islands of Krusenstern or Ignalook, and the is- land of Ratmanoff, or Noonarbook, and proceeds due north without limitation, into the same Frozen Ocean. The same western limit, beginning at the same initial point, proceeds thence in a course nearly southwest through Bering's Straits and Bering's Sea. so as to pass midway between the northwest point of the island of St. Lawrence and the southeast point of Cape Choukotski, to the meridian of one hundred and seventy-two west longitude; thence, from the inter- section of that meridian, in a southwesterly direction,
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so as to pass midway between the island of Attou and the Copper Island of the Kormandorski couplet or group, in the North Pacific Ocean, to the meridian of one hundred and ninety-three degrees west longi- tude, so as to include in the territory conveyed the whole of the Aleutian Islands east of that meridian.
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