Arizona republican., 1901-10-09
FUTURE OF ALASKA
Good Soil Which Will Raise
 Good Crops
It Will in Time Become Country of Great Farms as We'll as Country of Rich Mines-Its Varied Resources.

seattle, oct. S--George StoWeU, a confidential employe of Surveyor Gen eral Distor of Alaska, whose office is located at Sitka, is in the city. He is one of the best posted men on Alaska and Alaskan affairs in the United States and he gave an interesting ir- tsrview as to the future of that far northern territory. He believes that Alaska will develop into something more than gold producing region. He is convinced that vast opportunities are offered for stock raising and agri- culture. Said he:
 From a great many sources we are In receipt of what may be regarded as positive information that Alaska Is q desirable one for those who prefer life in such a climate. The resources of a great portion of that territory are abundant and ready at hand. It Is an accessible country in many ways, or would be so in a very short time after surveys and homesteads had been es- tablished. and the climate of all the Alaska peninsula, as is well known, is far better than that of similar attitudes Tn great many other portions of the globe. Indeed, I have been told. by men who passed the severest portion of last winter in that country, that the climate is to be preferred to that Of
  cold is greater and where the changes are equally marked.
 ''Men who have passed over portions of country near Cook Inlet, and others who have traversed great tracts across the peninsula and stretching arouri the shores of Bristol bay. agree that in those countries are vast stretches Of land that would produce almost any thing grown In a northern climate. We have in our office frequent letters from Swedes and Films, as well as Norwe- glans. who claim citizenship and de- sire information regarding the laws relative to homesteading lands for az ricultural purposes in that country We can really. under present conditions. give them no encouragement.
 The laws passed by the government on May 14, 1S9S extended the home stead laws to Alaska, but they are up to the present time imperative. be- cause the public surveys have not been extended over the portions or the coun- try most desirable for homeseekers. The only way in which titles can be granted so far is under the mineral. trading and manufacturing and town site ciaials. and e-xsfeiSc of so,tsiers' additional homestead rights. These are inadequate for the man who wants to secure title to piece of land and make Of 1t a farm or stock ranch.
 T have paid considerable attention to the productive possibilities of the soil around Sitka myself. and last year pro duced an excellent quality of almost every known garden vegetable. ws had as fine vegetables taken on an av- craze as can be produced in the states of Washington or Oregon. and pro- duced much finer raspberries than are grown in either state. This was simply a test made at my home in Sitka. For years at different points along the lower Yukon river vegetables and cere- als have been raised successfully, and at the missions of the lower Yukon river vegetables have been raised in sufficient quantities to supply those who were. dependent on them. There is 1 an experimental station across the rive- i from Rampant City on the middle Yu- lSon. well up toward it's most northern point. where they produced this sum- mer season rye, barley, oats, wheat. ! buckwheat and all kinds of vegetables. | The country is not to be compared in l nildness of climate with the portions which [ have before referred to as be- 1 ing farther south, and which it is espe- cially desirable should be surveyed.
 ''All over the southern portion of Alaska men are looking forward to de- NSipDlenl- SdnNefleS are DGlnE DUllI. as is commonly known. in a great 1 many places. Towns are being inn proved wherever one exists that may be ] called a town. At SitEa the government has expended at least S40.009 to s50.000 | this year in substantial work. Great ! coal bunkers have been built at the i naval station and houses have been | erected for the magnetic observations | being carried on. A contract is about | to be let for the building of officers ! quarters for the marine station. This l is one of the indications of present ac- | tivity. My idea is that the government 1 would also be justified in making the | homestead laws more liberal for Alas ka. as at the present rating a man car take but eighty acres in one entry. h | many states of the Union 160 acres are allowed. The acreage should be at | least equal in a country that may not prove quite as productive as many cf the middle western states and where the pioneering is attended with more hardship Another feature that would follow would be revision of | the timber laws covering Alaska. SD hat it would be possible to utilize the forests wherever saw mill industries could be established"