The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-13

Critical Moment In the Development
of Americas Commerce.

Chicago Inter Ocean.
II is now estimated. by mining engineers
and experts. that the gold product Of the
Cape Nome district in Alaska will amount
this year to SO. 100000 and next year to
$50 900. 600 This f. not the estimate Of
prospectors or OF men working In the
interest of railway and steamship COM
panies, but Of mining engineers OF the
largest experience and highest reputation
A great many seemingly extravagant
stories come from the prospectors In the
Cape Nome district but the figures given
by these enthusiasts do not go beyond
the reports Of product or Of the estimates
Of those who have made careful inyestiRa-
ton.
II Is believed that the auriferous strip
In which gold Ia found has "A width OF not
less than thirty miles, stretching back
from high-water mark, and length OF
900 miles. Even u there should be no
discovery of quartz or roid-bearing rock
there will be enough OF placer mining to
yield al least So 600 o00 a year. But the
engineers believe that the ledge form
which this gold. held In the sands has
been washed will be found. and that then
the United States and Alaska will add TO
the available gold Of the world from
eighty 20 one hundred million dollars a
year.
This stream Of gold coming into the
country viii be Of benefit TO all the pso-
as the capitalist. II viii help the farmer
IS well as the manufacturer And yet.
when Alaska was annexed IN 1855. there
was as much opposition from anti-eE-
pansionists of that day as there 81 now
from the same class 20 the annexation
Of the Philippines IL has been demon
strated that Alaska is rich IN other min
erals besides gold that its a@hing indus
Try Will he greater than that ~ any other
part ~ the United States and that IA ~
teen or twenty years there may be such
development % agricultural and other
resources as viii present Alaska az 0ne
u our most valuable possessione-
when California was annexed % pro-
dured lers than 81 on 90 annually IN gold
Two years after the state was admitted
f. produced So oQa 90 year, Go four Years
$50 100 Do9 a year and IN FIVE wears Sss, 80.
90 year The effect - this enormous
production - gold In American territory.
q total N nrty wears Of about ti.&lS 90.
60. was almost revolutionary ~ its char
actcr Senators and congressman who
had for years fought against the extern
sion q thc United States 60 the Pacific
eosst were dgmb On the face a the trF-
rn~u,Saus developmeut. 10 90 now be-
il~yed that Alaska wiu play a pari NOT
unlike fhBf ulayed bF California az Is gold
producing district. This win carry
great popuiat ion 90 me territory. it viii
stimulate the development ~ an rs re-
sources. ~ viii greatly Increase ogY in-
auenre b. the North Pac.ac
Taken ir canuectloa Vita our rossep-
sion in Hawai- in the n1ia-pacifc. w3fh
our caairo} a. an island q the samoan
group 80 the South Paciac. and ;he Philip
pines in the AsiaJic Pacific. the develop
rnent 90 Alaska wiu more shan fai0ii the
prophecy Of Secrptar} seward as 90 the
new era u commercial activity on the
great ocean betweea America and Asia.
xtth the I-uhea states az the dominant
power. Al thss viii happen unless a.
the turning pclnt in the destiny ~ the
nation the Republicans IN congress turn
their backs on ne expansion policy.