The evening times., 1902-07-11
IMMENSE Value OF
COMMERCIAL ALASKA
Monograph by the Treasury
Bureau OF Statistics
YEARLY EXPORT s15,000,00O
Original Cost of Territory Less Than
Half This Sum-Tnvestme1ts $780,
ooo, o,oco-The Gold Mines-Nome a
City of Iz,ooo-AgTiculture.

million dollars q month is the esti-
mate made BY the Bureau of Statistics
of the present value Of the market
which frozen Alaska" offers the pro-
ducers and manufacturers Of the United
States.
Commercial Alaska in 1901" is the
title of . rnograph just issued by the
bureau In it are presented some strik-
ing figures about this until recently lit
tie explored and little understood Ter
ritory of the United States.
By reason of the application of mod
ern systems Of travel and transporta-
tion, Alaska is now as accessible as
Arizona. Three days Of travel by mod
ern ocean steamers from Seattle. among
The islands and along the coast which
forms the southeastern extension of
Alaska, lands the traveller at Skagway;
twelve hours by rail over the noun
tains carries him 10 the headwaters OF
the Yukon. where comfortable and we'll
equipped river steamers carry him TO
the gold fields of central Alaska or
down the Yukon River. which is naviga-
bic for more than 2,O00 miles at this
season Of the year From the mouth
OF the Yukon another comparatively
short trip, by steamer, carries him TO
Cape Nome, the latest and greatest of
the gold fields Of Alaska
Gold, Fish, and Furs.
Gold, fish. ana furs are, according to
this monograph, the principal exports
of Alaska at the present time, and they
O0o, ,090 worth of their products, IS. .00O,-
600 Of gold, 81, 900. eco OF fish, chiefly sal
mon, ard the remainder furs.
The cost of Alaska was $7,20O, 600. TIE
revenue which the Government has de-
rived from it since its purchase amounts
to over 50, 600, 000 and the value OF the
products are now twice as much every
year as It cost. The total value of the
products Of Alaska brought to the Unit
ed States since its purchase is. accord
irg to the best estimates that the Bu-
reau Of Statistics is able to make, about
s150. .000. 600, Of which $50. .00, 900 is prec-
.ous metals, S5O,OOO, ,0C0. products of the
fisheries, chiefly salmon, and $50, ,O0, goo
more in furs, chiefly real fur.
Fifty Millions interested.
Probably $4,000. .ooo of American cap
ital IS invesAed in Alaskan industries
end business enterprises, including
transportation systems. In tie salmon
fisheries alone the companies engaged
have capitalization Of $22, O00, 900. and
the value OF their plants, including yes
sells, is given at S12, 600 600.
In the mining industries there are
large InvestmeEtg. the great quartz mill
at Juneau being the largest quartz
stamp mill n the world. while several
other quartz mills represent large in
vestmenIs. With the inflow of capital.
the development Of transportation
systems, and the gold discoveries. has
come the building Up Of towns and the
development OF cities with modern con-
venienCes of life
Norae City, which is located but a
comparatively short distance south OF
the Arctic Circle, has now a population
OF over 900; postal facilities have
been so extended that the number of
postoffices is now about sixty, and mails
are being regularly delivered north of
the Arctic C.rcIe.
Agricultural Possibilities.
Agricultural possibilities in Alaska
have. until within recent period. been
considered Of but slight Importance As
the country was explored. however, and
its conditions OF climate and soil
studied. its natural products observed,
and experiments made with various
classes Of agricultural productions. it
became apparent that the agricultural
possibilities Of the country, and especi-
ally of the south and southeast, where
the climate is modified by the Japan
current, were of considerable import
ance in view Of the practicabiIity of
furnishing at least part of the food
supply Of the population which tt1
varied resources of Alaska seem likely
%,