The History of Alaska (история Аляски) — страница 4

Mikhail Gvozdev sights the Alaska mainland at Cape Prince of Wales. July 16 - In 1741, Vitus Bering, on St. Elias Day, sights the Alaskan mainland. In honour of the saint, the most prominent peak was named; this was the first point on the northwest coast named by Europeans. December 8 - In 1741, Vitus Bering died after his ship was wrecked on an island off the Alaskan coast. September 25 - In 1745, a Russian fur hunter, Mikhail Nevodchikov, reaches Attu in his search for sea otters. May 12 - In 1778, Captain James Cook entered Prince William Sound. May 26 - In 1778, Captain James Cook entered Cook Inlet. August 25 - In 1778, Captain James Cook turned back south July - In 1786, while charting Lituya Bay, 2 small boats are swamped by rip tides, and 21 French sailors drown. July 8 -

In 1799, the Russian American Company is formed by Royal Charter; they were given a 20-year monopoly on trading on the coast from 55 degrees north. March - In 1812, the Russian American Company establishes a post at Fort Ross, California to grow crops for their Alaska. September - In 1848, the Hudson's Bay Company builds Fort Selkirk, at the confluence of the Pelly and Yukon Rivers. - In 1852, Fort Selkirk is destroyed by a group of Tlingits who objected to the Hudson's Bay Company trying to break the Tlingit monopoly on trade with the interior tribes. March 30 - In 1867, the United States purchased Alaska for $7,200,000 July 23 - In 1867, Alaska's first post office is authorized, to be opened at Sitka. October 18 - In 1867, official ceremonies at Sitka transferred Alaska from

Russia to the United States. July 27 - In 1868, the Customs Act is amended to include Alaska. October 7 - In 1869, the prediction of a total solar eclipse by American scientist George Davidson so impressed Kohklux, chief of the Chilkat Indian village of Klukwan, he drew him an incredibly detailed map of a vast part of the interior of the Yukon and Alaska. - In 1871, of the 41 whaling ships hunting in the Bering Sea, 32 are trapped by early ice; all of the 1,200 people on the ships escaped, but 31 of the ships were destroyed the following spring. August - In 1876, twelve whaling ships are trapped by ice near Point Barrow; 50 men die attempting to reach safety. July 2 - In 1882, George Krause becomes the first white man allowed to cross the Chilkat Pass to the interior. - In 1894,

a resolution of the Privy Council authorizes the North-West Mounted Police into the Yukon "in the interests of peace and good government, in the interests also of the public revenue." By June 26, Inspector Charles Constantine and Staff- Sergeant Charles Brown were at Juneau, heading for the goldfields of the British Yukon. October 2 - In 1895, the North-west Territories was divided into the Districts of Franklin, Mackenzie, Ungava and Yukon. August 17 - In 1896, a party consisting of George Carmack, his wife Kate, Skookum Jim, Tagish Charlie and Patsy Henderson stake placer gold claims on Rabbit Creek, and rename the creek Bonanza Creek. July 14 - In 1897, the Excelsior reaches San Francisco with the first large shipment of Klondike gold. July 17 - In 1897, the Portland

reached Seattle with a large shipment of Klondike, turning the excitement caused by the Excelsior's arrival at San Francisco into an all-out gold rush. - In 1898, gold was discovered near the future site of Nome, triggering a stampede. - In 1898, a series of 5 avalanches in the Chilkoot Pass between 2:00 AM and noon killed over 70 people. June 13 - In 1898, the Yukon Territory is created. July 29 - In 1900, the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad was completed, with the Golden Spike driven at Carcross, Yukon. - In 1900, Congress authorized a massive telegraph construction project in Alaska. July 22 - In 1902, Felice Pedroni ("Felix Pedro") discovered gold in the Tanana Hills, causing a stampede which resulted in the founding of Fairbanks. May - In 1904, the first

commercial wireless communication facility in the U.S. opened, between Nome and St. Michael. May 7 - In 1906, the Alaska Delegate Act was passed by Congress, giving the territory's 40,000 people the right to elect a non-voting delegate to Congress. August 24 - In 1912, the Alaska Territorial Act was passed by Congress. July 3 - In 1913, the first airplane in Alaska made a demonstration flight at Fairbanks, piloted by James V. Lilly. March 12 - In 1914, a bill authorizing the construction of the government-financed Alaska Railroad was signed by President Wilson. Construction started in 1915, and some sections were opened as they were completed, but the entire line, running from Seward to Fairbanks, was not completed until July 15, 1923. October 25 - In 1918, the coastal steamer