There was some dispute whether Skagway was a a former Russian town, an American town, or a British town. When the boundary commission met in 1903, the three British judges sided with the three American judges for political reasons. This really pissed off the Dominion of Canada, who were not at the abitration hearing.

P.S. If the Americans could not get the Yukon, the next best thing was to the access to the Yukon. No political reason there.

Have you been to Hyder, Alaska?