Alaska

a territory of the United States, formerly constituting Ru ian America, In 1741 Vitus Bering, sailing for the Ru ians, discovered the range of Mt. St. Elias. In 1783 the Ru ians established a trading-post on the island of Kadiak. In 1799, by consolidation of existing companies, the Ru ian-American Fur Company was organized, and from this time to 1862 enjoyed a monopoly of trade in Alaska and the rule of the country. By treaty of March 30, 1867, the United States bought Alaska (area 580,000 square miles) from Ru ia, paying $7,200,000. In 1884 Alaska was organized as a district, with executive officers appointed by the President, but without representative institutions. The population of Alaska in 1890 was le than 30,000, chiefly Indians, but the discovery of gold in 1893 on Birch Creek was followed by a rapid influx of miners, and in the beginning of 1900 the population was estimated to exceed 300,000. Circle City was the first place to receive the benefits of the gold discoveries, and held its pre-eminence until 1896, when gold nuggets were found by George Crawford on the banks of Klondike River, which led to the founding of Dawson City. Other rich discoveries followed in the Upper Yukon basin (in British territory) in the Copper River district, and Cape Nome. The rush of miners was so great that railroads were built in 1899 leading to the richest districts, and several lines of steamboats were established on the Yukon that make the trip now an easy one. The gold output of Alaska, for 1901, approx mia ted $30,000,000.