Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-07-14
The Profit on the Alaskan Purchase.

scOffed when Alaska was purchased by
the United States from Russia. 1t was
called the purchase of an iceberg, and
many held that it was merely gift of
money to Russia in recognition of its
friendly attitude to the Uuion during
the Civil War. If any of those per-
sons are still living we hope they will
read little pamphlet Commercial AL
aska in 1901" just issued by the treas
ury bureau of statistics. 1t contains
many striking figures about this vast
territory, SO little explored and little
understood until recently.
BY reason of the application of mod
ern systems of travel and transporta-
ton. 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 extern
sion of Alaska, lands the traveller at
Skagway; twelve hours by rail over
the mountains carries him to the head
waters of the Yukon, where cOmfOrta-
BILE and well-equipped river steamers
carry him to the gold field of central
is navigable for more than 1000 miles
at this season of the year From the
mouth of the Yukon another compare
lively short trip, by steamer, carries
him to Cape NOme-the latest and
greatest of the gold fields of Alaska.
Gold. fish and furs are, according to
this monograph, the principal sindus-
tries of Alaska at the present time and
they send to the United States$15,0 00,
900 worth of their products, $S,OOO,OOO of
gold, S6,OOC,OOO of fish, chiefly salmon,
and the remainder furs.
The cost of Alaska was $7,200,00G.
The territory is as large as the 20
states of Maine, New Hampshire, Yer
mont. Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
Connecticut, New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania Delaware Maryland,
Virginia West Virginia. North Carroll
ma. South Carolina, Georgia, Florida,
Alabama. Mississippi and Tennessee.
The direct revenue which the govern
ment has derived from it since its pur-
chase amounts to over $9,000.000, and
the value of the products are now twice
rs much every year as it cost. The to-
tai value of the products of Alaska
brought to the Uuited States since it's
purchase is according to the best es-
Inmates that the bureau of statistics is
able to make) about $150,000,OOO, of
which $4,000, 900 is precious metals,
$50,O0O,000 products of the fisheries.
chiefly salmon, and $50,000,000 more
turs. chiefly seal fur. Probably $50,000.
Alaskan industries and business enter
prises, including transportation sys-
tens. In the salmon fisheries alone
the companies engaged have a capitali-
cation of $4,000, 600, and the value of
their plants, including vessels, is given
at $4,000, 900. In the mining indus
tries there are large investments-the
great quartz mill at Juneau being the
largest quartz stamp mill in the world,
while several other quartz mills repre-
sent large investments. With the in
flow of capital, the development Of
transportation systems, and the gold
discoveries, have come the building
up of towns and the development of
cities with modern conveniences OF
life. Nome City, which is located but
a comparatively short distance south
of the Arctic circle, is now as large as
Augusta, having a population of over
1000: postal facilities have been SO
extended that the number of postofiices
is now about GO, and mails are being
regularly delivered north of the Arctic
circle.