The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-11-24
ALASKA ARD F,ES FUTURE.

A contributor to the Boston Globe furnishes
that paper with the following interesting article
on Alaska:
It WAS q years ago this spring, that Alaska our
great Northwestern territory, was coded by Rus
sia to the GATED States with a guarantee on
the part Of the latter that the citizens Of that re-
mote peninsula should enjoy al the rights &c cit
liens of the United States. Yet for most of that
period they have had no full protection in the
enjoyment Of these living under quasi-military
government, and only partially relieved in 1881
by act Of Congress, which fell far short % the
guaranty OF 1867, providing d civil form o. GOV
eminent. indeed, but without right Of represent
alton or !oc u legislation
The present congress has just reported a bill
which, for the first time, grants these privileges
ofcitizenShip and accords to Alaska the machin-
cry necessary for the enactment Of its own lcgis-
lation subject to the constitutional control of con
grcss, and for the transaction Of its judicial bust
ness and the execution Gifts administrative de
partments.
All this is at once sign and result CT the
growing prominence Of this new portion of tie
national domain. Alaska is no longer a remo.c
shore. Every summer the tourist and the travel
Ter bent on entertainment well as scientific re-
search or business venture, SO to its varied and
beautiful coast its vast stretches inland and sea-
board It's area is some 10000 fuare miles, run
ming $500 miles east and west by 100 north and
south. 1t is fifteen times the size Of Illinois It's
civilized population as appears in all these re-
spects from the report of the committee on terri
tories is some 1900. There are 5000 other in
habitants The white population is 5000 or Z 600
constantly Increasing and likely to increase still
more with the institution OF a more stable and
ter cannot fail to stimulate the immigration that
has already set in and it is not a remote POSSIBLE
ity that involves the admission Of Alaska as
future star in the constellation of states Its for
csts are almost unlimited III their wealth Of tim
Der.
Its mineral resources are almost beyond estim-
alton. II has mines of gold that already yield
| some =, 30 99O a year Great deposits of coal,
| and probably Of other useful ores are under the
soil. The latter is rich; there are vast reaches Of
grazing ana arabic lands The waters Gifts coast
stretching to its ice fields abound in food fishes
! The seal fisheries are of immense value. paying
/ hundreds Of thousands fd1llars in revenue to
/ the United states and more 10 their owners The
climate oppose, no barrier to the Development of
! the territory lis schools already in success
/ fl! operation and the church spire pierces its
/ skies.
! 1t evidently is to be not only great develop
1 munt IN Itself but IL greater factor in the mater
i in! growth and development Of the whole nat
! len. With the rapid exhaustion Of our public
! lands in the older limits of our national domain
/ he eye now turns at once to this new imperial
/ territory, and with prophetic dialatipu behOdS
IL tccuIlug Wlth the prosperity and varied indus
tries oi the overnoWIUg citizenship OF the United
+ States. Science has so reduced distance, and, it
almost seems, 50 overcome even the obstacles OF
/ ccid and storm and natures rgUr, that wherever
4 The foot OF an American citizen can be put and
his home SCI UP there American success begins to
! expand