The Nome nugget., 1903-05-20
IGNORANCE ABOUT ALASKA.

Despite all that has been spread before the public about the great territory of Alaska with its wealth of resources and it's growing population, there is still to be found, in quarters to which some information upon the subject should have penetrated much ignorance of the subject, says the Seattle Poslntelligencer. For example, here is the Baltimore American, a newspaper of high standing and some character with the following observations upon the subject of the Alaska boundary.
 "Whether the decision is in whole or part favor able to the United States is not matter of serious moment Every foot of the territory in dispute is practically valueess and promises to be for many centuries, at least after this generation has passed away It may wound our pride to have to surrender few miles of the frozen to Canada, but it will be far better to have this awarded by legal process than to endure perpetual friction engage in d bloody war to secure our fancied rights"
 The Baltimore American has never learned the fact that within the limits of the territory which Canada claims and which the United States occupies there are at present many thousands of American citizens; that included in the limits is American city, which the enrepot of the kondike gold region and which has commerce in which is employed the larg est fleet of American steamships upon the Pacific ocean; that the mineral wealth included within the strip known to be vast, although it is yet unde veloped largely because of the dispute to the exact location of the boundary but which may produce as much wealth annually as the whole state of Mary land
 The oyster industry of Maryland is considered rather large affair yet the present annual product of the Alaska fisheries and canneres the strip of seacoast in Southeastern Alaska which the Baltimore American contemptuously speaks of as 'practically vaueless, is many times greater than the value of the oyster industry of Maryland and is more vaua- ble than the codish product of the Massachusetts
 fisheries All of these fisheries are not located in the strip of land to which Canada sets up an unfounded claim, but some of them and many more will te
 The Baltimore American has the idea about Alaska which current in the east at the time of its purchase. It does not to comprehend the statistical information which is ready to its hand.
 Does the Baltimore American understand the fig ures of the treasury reports showing that during the last six months of 1902 there were shipped from Alaska to the United States, exclusive of gold and silver bullion and ore, Alaskan products to the value of l93, and that the greater part of these values produced on the seacoast of Southeastern Alaska either within the limits of the strip of land to which Canada asserts title or immediately thereto? Added to this, there shipped to the United States from Alaska during the same period gold and silver bullion and to the value of $O 653 2S6 no incon- siderable share of which came through the Alaska city of Skagway, which the American thinks might with perfect propriety be turned over to Canada.
 An additional evidence of the gross and lament able ignorance of the Baltimore newspaper is in its reference to this strip being in the frozen zone" As matter of fact, the climate of Skagway will com pare favorably with that of Baltimore. Baltimore has record of winter temperature of ' degree,. It is rare and exceptional winter when the temper ature of Skagway touches the zero point. Balti- more harbor has been closed to navigation on account Of ice during portions of many winters. The harbor of Skagway has been open to navigation to craft of every description every day since the first American settler established his home there.
 The provincialism of the Baltimore newspaper is so pronounced that it is doubtful whether these facts will make any impression upon it or open it's eyes in the slightest degree to the fact that the potential value of Alaska is very much greater than that of half dozen states like Maryland.