August 9, 1889 – “Senator Platt of Connecticut, chairman of the committee on Territories, and who is now making his special examination into the condition of Alaska, is promoting an Icelandic movement intended to settle the fertile and heavily wooded region of the Yukon River with a large colony from Iceland.

The idea is ultimately to take over to the Territory the whole population of the island, one of the most thrifty, sturdy and intelligent in the world. There are on the island about 75,000 souls. The area of cultivable land is yearly growing less, owing to the increase of volcanic matter scattered over the plains and valleys.

The people of Iceland are said to be anxious to remove to some cold country where the soil and other advantages are superior to those to be found in their present possession. On the Yukon they will find these.

Wood is abundant and cereals can be raised, as the summers are longer than those in Iceland. The population in Iceland, which once numbered 100,000, dropped to 40,000, but has since risen to nearly 75,000.

An Icelandic minister is operating with Senator Platt in the undertaking. No other particulars are now available.

The consent of the Althing, or Icelandic Assembly, and the approbation of the Danish government will have to be obtained, probably, if the movement as contemplated becomes a general one.”

(The Boston Post – Boston, Massachusetts)