The Washington times., 1902-08-24
ENTHUSIASTIC over
FUTURE OF ALASKA
General Greely Returns
Trom Tour of Inspection.
WORK OF THE SIGNAL CORPS
Legislation Regarding Disposition of
Lands Badly Eeeded-Residents Have
Strong Feeling Against Tax Laws
agricultural Prospects.

Gen. A. W. Greeley, chief of the
Signal Corps Of the Army. is quite en-
thrsiastic over the future OF Alaska,
where he has just paid visit to in
speet the lines put in for the use of
the Government by the Signal Corps. In
speaking of the country yesterday he
said:
Il believe that the great need of
Alaska is legislation regarding lands,
timber. and possibly the fishing i'm
dustry. Strange as it may seem. there
is no way by which even a discharged,
soldier can obtain title TO q homestead
in Alaska. 1t is true that the home
stead laws of the United States apply
to that Territory, but inasmuch as such
laws have no effect except on what are
known as certified lands. it is prac- !
tically of no effect, because there are
no certified lands of any worth from a
homestead point of view
Great Agricultural Future.
From reports frcm the members OF
the Signal Corps, as we'll as from other I
reliable information gathered while on
my trip. am impressed with the be-
lief that Alaska has a great agricul- .
tural future before her In travelling
west | passed through large areas in
northern Canada which were formerly
considered to be absolutely worthless
lands, but which are now producing
t,o -
annually. as we'll as affording grazing
lands foI cattle by the tens of thou
sands
There is now in view settlement of
Fins on the Kenai peninsula and from
which great agricultural developments
are expected. In this connection IL may
he mentioned that the summers are
warm, the land is fertile. and the possi-
bility of raising certain cereals is IN
equaled anywhere. Vegetable of every
variety grow in the Copper River Valley.
and grass is hardy. l saw many acres
in this section where the grass stood
from four to six feet in height This
affords most excellent grazing, as we'll
as an opportunity for hay making fo-
the wintering of stock.
Tax Laws Disliked.
There is a strong feeling in the Ter
ritory against the laws which tax all
trades and professions and turn this
money into the Treasury CT the United
States. Perhaps Alaska is the only place
in the United States where the National
Government requires even a bootblaek
to pay a tax for the privilege of conduct
ing his business, and what is true of
the bootbiact is also true of every other
raft or profession. The people there
believe that the fees arising from this
tax should be devoted largely toward the
education of the children of the white
population of the Territory. This pop
llation is rapidly increasing.
Alaska Only for the Rich.
THE mistake seems to have been that
ilaska mas been viewed only as a great
mining camp in the past. As rule.
However, believe that Alaska is
ountry only for rich men. While the
,old deposits are exceedingly rich. they
equire immense capital to develop and
york them. This working can be done
My by the most improved machinery.
If course. there are parts OF Alaska
sDlGH are UdTTtH DIC
n this enormous region there are areas
t the size OF many OF our smaller
tates. which. in the not distant future,
ill be inhabited with a dense DopuIa-
ion.
Telegraphic System.
"Tbe telegraPhio system. the compile
ion of which it was my object 20 has
en. will be completed within the COM
1g year. This viii for the first time
iake it possible for intercommuaica-
ion to be had at small expense be-
ween these portions of the Territory
here previously correspondence could
e had only by mail. and where letters
nd answers could not be exchanged
ore than twice or thrice during the
ear.
1T is anticipated that within the
ext week or two Valdez, Alaska, will
, in telegraphic communication with
lie outside world. This line runs from
awson through Egbert. as a military
ire, and is about 450 miles long. There
now in operation in the Territory
1out sos miles of wire in the Central
Id Lower Yukon Valley. This Will be
with the Valdez system, which
iii bring the Lever Yukon. St.
ichaeis, and Nome within daily reach
the rest OF the world.