"THE CHILKOOT POST" - A weekly periodical published without expense to the U.S,
Nhil address - Chilkoot Barracks, Alaska. Subscription rates: £2.00 per year.
THE PURCHASE OF ALASKA - By 1st „Lt .Clyde Grady, 7th. Infantry.
Fifty seven years ago March 30th. this year at 4 O'clock A.M
Secretary of State william H.Seward acting on behalf of the United States, and Bar
Edward de Stoskl, Russian Ambassador representing his government signed the treaty
of Cession which cave to the American Government the Territory of Alaska, a vast
domain twice as large as the Japanese Empire with Korea and Jbrmoso thrown in for
good measure, a territory greater than Germany, Prance and Spain, or the combined
areas of England,. Scotland, Ireland, Norway, Sweden and Finland.
; The treaty was ratified by the United States Senate, May 28*feh. Ratifications
were .exchanged June. 20th., and proclaimed by the United States the same date.
The purchase of Alaska wa$ the result of the Russian Government's refusal to renev
the Russian American Company's charter for another twenty year lease which if renew _
would'have been theit fourth consecutive twenty year term. At this time a parky
of San Francisco capitalists were endeavoring to obtain the lease for $5,000,000.
This came to the attention of the astute, and politic Seward who immediately decide
that it was well worth £7,200,000, as an outri^it purchase, which at that figure wa •
virtually a gift as time ha9 proven. The purchase was unpopular and opposed by
the general public, and severely criticized and ridiculed by the pros in such terms
as "Seward's folly",- and "Seward’s iceburg". It was referred to as a barren waste,
and a worthless land producing walruses, iceburgs, polar bears, and Eskimos. '
Throughout all this Criticism and opposition Seward and Senator Charles Sumner who
induced, in a remarkable speech, the Senate to ratify the treaty, stood firm in
their convictions as to the value of the country,and the richness of it'.s resources
and possibilities. The former pn being tjuestiohed as to what he considered the mos^
important measure of his political career replied,"The purchase of Alaska, but it
will take the people a generation to find it out". The people have found out that
his prophecy and. ■orediction has been realized far beyond his fondest dreams and
n»sx sanguine expectations.
THE NEW RESERVOIR PROJECT - By Captain R.P .COOK^ 7th•' Infantry*
Due to the cold weather all work on the new reservoir has cease
for the winter, the ground being frozen to the depth of several inches* A few words
in description of the reservoir project nay be of interest to those who have not ye*'
visited the site* For several years the heed of a reservoir for a reserve supry
of water for the Post has been admitted and several Boards have• made recommendation,
for reservoirs but no action was taken* Last fall a Board of Officers surveyed the
water supplies near the Post as well as the present system* The recommendations of
the Board for the present reservoir was accepted by the Vfer Department and a sum
of money appropriated to stare the work. The town of Haines also appropriated cer
tain sums and materials to aid in the construction* The reservoir is situated* on
the ridge-just back of the officers quarters and .has -an .elevation Of over two hun^r
feet above higft tide* This assures the Post of high water pressure at. all times.
\»hen completed the capacity will be one million gallons, giving a supply' o.f water t
the Post for over one month. The dimensions ar e as follows: One hundred5 and twenty
feet square at the top and seventy feet at the bottom with an average depth of S3’;:
teen feet. The bottom and sides are to bo covered with a heavy layer of concrete'.’
The cement has already arrived and nearly all the sand and gravel has. been hauler. ”
& ,
encountered which required that all be drilled and blasted before removing. However,
the work has progressed below* these boulders and in the Spring real progress shoul
bo made
Xne reservoir read” for the work to s
+ r v
i-i the Spring. The work has all he fen
nerWtrkfldnttf- Ttf<f 1 Km K&T-'tV bb' ^rea^W^
^diivation could start* then the excavation started bi£ boulders w£