Congress voting the money which Alaska has already paid into the United States Treasury. ALASKA TREADWELL GOLD MINING COMPANY. The following rules must be strictly observed by all miners and other workmen employed by the company: 1. Each man must ascertain that the particular place in which he is employed is absolutely safe. If found to be in an unsafe condition, measures must be taken to remove such danger at once, and if necessary the foreman or shift boss must be notified. 2. When returning to any place after a blast has been fired, the first employee to enter such place must make a careful examination for any loose rock or other element of danger, and if any such be found he shall immediately make it safe. 3. Miners who have blasted, on coming off shift, must notify the shift coming on if there have been any missed holes, and how many, so that they may have full knowledge of the matter. In such cases, also, the miners coming off shift must write plainly on the slate in the shaft house, the place where they have left any missed holes, and the number of such missed holes. 4. Miners driving drifts, crosscuts, or raises, which are to connect with other workings, must not blast when such drift, crosscut, or raise is within 10 feet of each other's workings before word has been sent to warn all employees to keep away from the vicinity when the connection is expected to be made. 5. When bulldozing chutes, warning must be given in both directions, so that no one may come opposite or too near such chute at time of firing. 6. All blasting and bulldozing in stopes must be done under the direct supervision of the powder man, and not otherwise. 7. Every employee, after spitting a fuse, must remain within hearing distance and count the number of shots he hears, and carefully note the number of missed shots, if any. No employee shall under any circumstances approach a missed hole within twenty minutes after spitting the fuse. 8. The fuse in this mine burns at the rate of not less than twenty-three seconds for each foot length. No fuse must be used of a shorter length than 5 feet. 9. Employees must carefully examine the workings before setting up machines, and all missed holes must be fired before drilling is commenced. Picking giant powder out of a hole is strictly forbidden. No tamping with steel or iron bars is allowed. 10. All sticks or pieces of giant powder, fuse, or caps not used must be taken from drifts or other places prepared in crosscuts and not laid around the mine. Lighted candles or torches or any other naked light must not be taken into the magazines, or near capping benches or places prepared for powder in crosscuts or elsewhere, as these places are lighted by electric lights. The temperature of magazines or other places where powder is kept must not exceed 70° F. Thermometers are furnished to test temperature. If any thermometer is broken, the first employee discovering such breakage must immediately report it to the foreman. Smoking in or about above places is strictly prohibited. 11. Miners must not carry giant powder or caps in their pockets or boots. When using less than a stick of powder, the stick must be cut with a knife, and not broken without cutting. 12. Drills, timber, or other material must not be placed within 10 feet of any shaft opening or winze. 13. Tools, steel, drills, and other small material must not be lowered or hoisted except when placed inside skip cage or other conveyance and made safe. Men must not be lowered at a greater speed than 4 miles per hour. When men are hoisted, the skip cage or other conveyance must commence to slow down when within 100 feet of the sheaves. 14. No employee must leave the shaft at any station without first seeing that the bar is properly placed in position so as to prevent anyone walking into the shaft opening. 15. No one must pull the signal-bell rope unless he is certain that he correctly understands and remembers the proper signals, and knows how to make them. 16. Skip-chute men must, immediately after the last skip is hoisted, remove the bars or chairs and see that everything is clear for the skip to pass. 17. Hoist men must make a careful examination once every day of the rope, clevis, and all connections, and see that everything about the hoist is safe and in good working order. 18. Timber or any other material of greater length than 4 feet must not be hoisted or lowered in the skip unless securely lashed. 19. Any machinery noticed to be defective must not be used until fully repaired by competent mechanics, and no one is permitted to assume the duties of a fellowworkman in the running of any machinery under his charge unless authorized to do so. 20. It is the duty of any employee working in either raise, drift, crosscut, or winze, whenever a connection with other workings is made, to write plainly on the slate at the shaft house when they made such connections with other workings, so that the shift coming on will be aware of any danger or dangerous place. 21. It is the duty of any employee seeing or knowing of any winze or raise, or any opening from one level to another, except the shaft, to cover same over and make safe, reporting the same immediately to the foreman or shift boss of the mine. 22. It is the duty of any machine men to see that their machines, air-drill hose, and tools are moved a sufficient distance to escape injury by blasting. SPECIAL RULES FOR SHAFT SINKING. 23. Before spitting fuses, the blasting signal must be given to the engineer, and the fuse must not be spit until he replies by hoisting the skip, cage, or bucket a few feet and lowering again. 24. For shaft firing the shortest fuse must be at least 9 feet in length. 25. There must be no change in these rules except by written order of the general superintendent. RULES FOR OPERATING RAILROADS. 26. Engineers must not run their trains at a greater speed than 10 miles per hour, and it is the duty of engineers and other employees on trains to see that switches are properly set, and that no open switch is left in the direct route train is taking. The switches of this company are of the general railroad pattern, and must be kept locked, so as to prevent accidents. If engine, car, track, or other equipment is noticed to be defective, same must be reported to general superintendent, so that immediate steps can be taken to repair same. In coupling cars a coupling stick must be used and the hand must not be used under any circumstances. Trains meeting a person or persons on trestles must slow down and give such parties sufficient time to get off right of way. Engineers must keep their engines clean and in good order. UNLOADING COAL FROM BARGES AND STEAMERS. 27. All employees engaged in unloading coal from barges or steamers must observe the following rules: First. Engineer at hoist must see that all ropes, blocks, pulleys, tubs, and other machinery is safe before proceeding to work. Second. Employees loading tubs in ship must not overload buckets, so that the coal will not fall off in hoisting. MILLS. 28. Feeders and other employees must keep a close watch for loose giant powder coming through feeding chutes to batteries, as same is dangerous to life and property. The object of these rules is to obtain the greatest possible safety for all employees, and it is hoped that all will assist in securing the safety of themselves and fellow-workers by using the utmost caution in the performance of their respective duties. Any employee who can not read or write must report same to foreman, shift 8205-01- -5 boss, or bookkeeper, or any employee, who will thereupon read same over to such person, explaining the rules thoroughly; and no man will be permitted to work for this company without first reading and signing same in the office of the company on Douglas Island. By order Alaska Treadwell Gold Mining Company: Dated January 1, 1901. JOSEPH MCDONALD, APPENDIX B. EXTRACT FROM THE SURVEYOR-GENERAL'S REPORT OF JULY 1, 1901. FOR THE DISTRICT OF ALASKA. By office letter dated June 14, 1901, I transmitted in duplicate the annual estimates for public-land surveys in this district and the expense of this office for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1903, together with a statement of the class, character, and extent of the work to be performed in the office as follows: For survey of public lands, mission stations, and other reservations..... $108,872 When it is remembered that this is a very large and rapidly developing district in which only the initiative has been taken for running and establishing the first lines under the regular system of public-land surveys, the reasonableness of the estimate will be manifest. In an explanatory note made in support of the estimate for the survey of public lands in this district, submitted with my letter dated June 14, 1901, the following statements were made, to wit: "It (Alaska) has an area of 580,000 square miles. Of this it is estimated from data collected from authentic sources that not less than one-fifth is tillable and pasture land capable of sustaining a large agricultural population in comfort. "These areas are diversified over the entire country south of the Yukon River. Even the Alexander Archipelago and adjacent mainland, which, on account of the mountain masses that everywhere meet their view, appears so forbidding for agricultural purposes to tourists and visitors who make the trip to Alaska through the inland passages by way of Juneau and Skagway to Sitka, it is estimated that 5 per cent of the area is susceptible of cultivation. There are thousands of square miles on Kenia Peninsula and the country bordering on Cook Inlet and in the Copper River Valley which can be cultivated or pastured. There are also larger areas of this class of land farther in the interior.' In this connection I beg to quote from an address of Col. P. H. Ray, U. S. A.. before the Alaska Geographical Society, at Seattle, September 25, 1900, as published in the Bulletin of said society for October, 100. "It is to be regretted that in all that has been said and written of Alaska, special features only have been exploited. There has not been enough told of the diversified possibilities of the country, which, if developed, would be of greater importance than all the gold mines that have been opened up. The trouble is that too many people go there expecting too much, and consequently are disappointed. Many have an idea that there is nothing in Alaska worth going for except gold. The same was true of California in 1849; but there are greater resources in Alaska to-day, aside from the gold, than in the Pacific coast States, if the timber is left out. In almost all parts of the valley of the Yukon you can ripen oats, wheat, and all kinds of grain. I have seen blue joint grass grow 2 tons to the acre, and I have seen 1,400 bushels of potatoes grown on 4 acres of ground. Timothy I have seen standing 4 feet high and growing wild for miles around. These resources are worth looking after and developing. 66 This is Although the United States has owned Alaska for more than thirty years, only a short time ago my command cut the first road from the Yukon River. what is needed as much as anything else in the country, that the interior be reached and settled up by a people who will develop the country and create a large business on the Pacific coast. Three years ago the discovery of gold in the Klondike drew nearly all the Americans to British territory, but since the discovery at Nome large numbers are coming back. "The climate of Alaska is even better than on the great plains of Wyoming. Montana, and some parts of Nevada. In all parts of Alaska there are more hospitable winters. They have no severe storms in the interior, and in the dead of winter horses and cattle can be worked without any danger of being frozen. People who go there think they will experience a great change in climate, but this is a mistake, for all last winter I very seldom wore an overcoat. The great essential is to develop the resources of Alaska, and when this is done then people can find in their home market the necessary articles of daily consumption at a reasonable cost and will be content to live permanently in the country, which will mean the greater development of the gold properties and an increase in the output of the yellow metal. "In connection with the development of the commerce of the Pacific, Alaska is all important. It is my opinion that it should be urged upon the General Government to fortify some harbor in the Aleutian Islands to protect this interest in case of war. The resources of Alaska in fish are boundless, and greater than the North Sea and Newfoundland combined. All we want is to settle up the country with people who will stay and develop it in all of its natural resources, and there will be no grander country in any part of the United States. "To make the road of which I have spoken, it is necessary to do little more than to cut the timber and in some cases cut through the side of a bluff. It would be no greater job than it was in Wisconsin in early days. It would be an excellent idea to have Scandinavians immigrate there. They are familiar with the conditions, and in my reports to the Department I have recommended that special inducements be offered in the way of free land and an exemption from taxes for a stated period. The valley of the Yukon is richer than the valley of the Missouri, and some day its true worth will be appreciated." And from a report of Edward Gillette, engineer of the Copper River Exploring Expedition, as follows: 66 In many sections of the country hay can be harvested cheaply and in great quantities and all demands of this country can be met by local production. I have seen quite a variety of vegetables grown here. The soil is exceedingly productive and I believe that the hardy farmers from Norway and Sweden would succeed in farming as successfully as in their own country. Also this from Addison M. Powell, guide for the same expedition, and who is also a United States deputy mineral surveyor for this district: 66 This valley has the appearance of once having been a vast inland sea. It has a gravelly bottom to an unknown depth, and is generally undulating and covered with a heavy growth of spruce. Its climate is pleasant and dry in summer and cold and dry in winter. Summer and winter in this region come very suddenly. According to a weather report kept by H. M. Stewart, formerly of Rochester, N.Y., the temperature varied at Copper Center in the spring of 1899 from 30 below to 20° above zero in twenty-four hours. This change was substantial, birds began to arrive and sing, flowers to bloom, and there was no frost. In the part of the valley where the soil is sufficiently dry and where the moss and timber have been burned is found a very heavy growth of nutritious bunch grass. Owing to this and the climatic conditions of the valley, I believe that wheat could be successfully raised in this valley." Attention was also directed in the explanatory note herein before referred to to the fact 66 That this country is no longer terra incognita, but is being settled rapidly, is evidenced by the census report of 1900. It shows that the population of Alaska has nearly doubled within the last decade; indeed, it made a larger per cent of gain in that particular than any other State or Territory within the borders of the United States with one excception. That a portion of this incoming population desires to obtain title to land is manifest by the number of applications made to this office for that purpose through exercise of soldiers' additional homestead rights and by petitions which have come to it at various times and from wholly separated portions of the country requesting that the lines of public surveys be extended over these different sections. "Those who have come to Alaska to settle represent the more enterprising and independent element of American manhood, and we know of no reason why the Government should not recognize their claim for equal opportunity to secure title to their homes with their fellow-citizens in other States and Territories of our common country. "There are also on file in this office a number of applications for the survey of coal lands. No action can be taken on these until a base or standard has been established to govern surveys in the region of country in which they are located. By an act of Congress approved June 6, 1900, the coal-land laws of the United States were extended to Alaska. These laws made provision for the survey of lands embracing such claims, if they are lawfully possessed, upon unsurveyed land, 66 —— under the special-deposit system, provided the township in which the claims are located is within the range of the regular progress of the public surveys embraced by existing standard lines or base for township and subdivisional surveys. This act of Congress, which inspired those who had been expending so much of their time and means in developing this industry in Alaska with renewed hope and courage, is forceless and abortive until these primary lines are established to govern the survey of the townships in which the lines are located. "It seems that justice would dictate that provision for establishing such lines be made without delay. "That all of the numerous missionary and Government reservations which exist in Alaska should be segregated from the public lands without further delay in order to adjust conflicts and avoid complications is a fact too patent to require argument to elucidate it. Instructions have already been received for surveying reservations for Alaska missions and preliminary steps have been taken for carrying them into execution." Taking all of these facts into consideration, can there be a doubt of the justice of the request for a liberal appropriation for the survey of public lands in this long-neglected district? I also desire to invite attention to a provision of law which is regarded as an unjust discrimination against those who desire to secure homes in this Territory. By section 1 of an act of Congress approved May 14, 1898, entitled "An act extending the homestead laws and providing for right of way for railroads in the district of Alaska, and for other purposes," the homestead laws of the United States and the rights incident thereto were extended to Alaska. The last clause of the section, however, provides that no homestead shall exceed 80 acres in extent. The reason for this restriction is not apparent. In other States and Territories, where conditions in many respects are more advantageous, settlers are permitted to enter 160 acres under the provision of the homestead law, and why not in Alaska? The injustice of this discrimination has been recognized ever since the enactment of the law, but this office has refrained from animadverting upon it for the reason that said section 1 of the act above referred to, excepting the portion of it relating to the acquisition of title through additional homestead laws, do not authorize the entry or patenting of such claims until the public surveys have been regularly extended over them, and as no surveys have been made in Alaska the law was inoperative, but now that steps have been taken for public surveys in this district the subject becomes a practical one, and it is deemed that longer silence touching this important matter would be a dereliction of a duty that is due to the people of this Territory. A homestead grant should not be restricted to a smaller area than 160 acres anywhere, and especially in a region like this, which is so widely separated from other portions of our country as to make access to it difficult and costly. The expense involved in reaching this Territory is almost equivalent to the purchase price of 80 acres of unimproved lands in other localities. Certainly those who incur the expense of reaching and endure the hardships and deprivations incident upon clearing their claims and establishing homes in this remote and isolated country deserve as generous treatment at the hands of the Government as is accorded to their fellow-citizens elsewhere. In view of the foregoing, I feel justified in most earnestly recommending to Congress, through your department, that it so amend the said act of May 14, 1898. as to allow homestead entries to be made in Alaska for 160 acres of land, the same as are permitted in other States and Territories of our common country. |