The National tribune., 1902-03-27
The POSSIBILITIES
OF ALASKA.
Agricultural Resources of Our Northwest.
ern Empire.
BY C. C. GEoRGEsoN, OF SITKA,
Special Agent of the Department of Agricu
ture.

He would have been considered a rash
prophet who five years ago had the te-
mcrity to predict that Alaska would one
day become great and powerful State.
Yet, today, such Il prediction would not
be aScribed TO prophetic sight, but simply
common-sense view, fOregone conciu-
sion, based on the resources and poSSibili-
ties inherent in the Territory. The change
of opinion is due to the fact that 1t has
been demonstrated that Alaska has agri-
cultural possibilities of high order. The
development of agriculture will enhance
the value of the ether vast and varied
resources of the Territory n thOusandfOid.
1t will make it possible TO work the eX-
tenSivc placer mines not rich enough in
gold TO pay at the present prices for food
Stuffs, as well as the enormous deposits
of lOw-grade quartz ores found nearly
everywhere in the mountains.
Alaska has been maligned, abused and
totally misunderstood. 1t has been re-
garded as a frozen, worthless waste, whose
only value consisted in its seal fisheries,
and totally incapable of fur ishing homes
for a civilized people. These ideas are
still current even in quarters where one
would naturally expect to find knowledge
of the facts. Through the instrumentality
of Secretary Seward, Alaska was pur-
chased from Russia in 1867, for the sum
of $7,200,000. 1t has already paid for
itself many times over, and still we have
scarcely begun to realize how enormous
| the resources are. What the profits to the
lessees of the sealing privileges have been
will probably never be made known, but
it is interesting to note that the rentals
received or due the Government for the
lease of this privilege from 1870 to 1895
amounted to almost the original cost of the
Territory, namely, $7,192, ,540.41 (Senate
Document No. 81, 54th Congress, second
| session.; and as to the income from the
mines, it is commonly reported that more
than an equal sum has been taken from
single mine near Juneau, to say nothing
! of the millions taken out in other places.
| Alaska has an area of 591 900 square
miles, in round numbers; that Is to say,
| it is as large as all of the United States
east of the Mississippi River, exclusive
| Of the four States of Florida, Georgia
Alabama and Mississippi. 1t requires an
| effort of the mind to grasp the significance
| of such an eXpanSe of territory. There
never could be greater miscOnceptiOn in
| regard to a geographical fact than the pop
ular idea that it is a snow-covered, inhos-
! pitable waste, and it is strange that this
| idea should be so persistently prOpagated
and disseminated among the people. As a
matter of fact, you can travel from one
end of the Yukon to the other in Summer
| time and never see snow. You see, or
| lNe contrary Il ldHBie Ol luAuTldHI NeSeld
| tiOn, large forests, and such delicacies as
wild raspberries, red currants, huckleber
ries and cranberries in profusion. In places
the grass grows as high as mans shoul
der At Holy Cross Mission | desired u
| photograph some cattle, native born, reared
| by the fathers, and for that purpose asked
that they be turned into a meadow re
served for hay. To my astonshment
| found that the cattle were totally out o.
sight when they got into the grass, which
reached above their backs.
| Alaskan tourists are largely responsible
for the false conception which is abrOat
in regard TO the agricultural possibilities
Of the country. The high mountain range
which skirts the sea coast is covered witt
snow and glaciers. 1t has n rugged, for
! bidding aspect. People who 70 as fan
north as Skagway and back again to Seat
tie in a two weeks trip fondly imagine
that they are studying Alaska, and that
they are quite prepared to pass judgment
on the whole Territory, when, as a matter
of fact, they have not been within 20C
miles of the 141st meridian, where Alaska
proper begins TO get anything like &
correct idea of Alaska, one must go in
side.