Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-05
FUTURE qf ALASKA
Territory WIN Produce Coal
and Copperfor the World.
RICH WHEAT LANDS
VARIETIES OF CLIMATE IN OUR
VAST NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
Prospects for Agriculture and Cattle
Observation-Disclosures Needed-Scenic
supremacy-The Mighty Yukon.

l ASo4SAh6 >sSSNSSA "SSSAAAS
Supremacy-The Mighty Yukon.
Arthur c. Jackson. president of the
| Alaska Geographical Society, in an inter-
view in the Wiikesbarre Leader tells an
| interesting story of conditions in, and pros
| poets Of our great northwestern territory.
To him 1t seems certain that there will be a
very rapid increase in the population of
| Alaska and an enormous development Of it's
| resources in the near future
| Alaska" he said, has seemed so far
| away to most people that they have utterly
| failed to keep In touch with the great
changes which have been going on and
their impressions of the climate and con-
veniences are based upon the lurid tales of
experience by the early Klondikers Alaska
is great empire. the enormous size of
which few people have any conception. it
| is more than 800 times as large as the state
of Rhode Island and nearly equals in area
| all the states of the Union east of the Mis-
| sissippi river 1t has the grandest scenery
| in the world and resources sufficient TO
| support ten millions of people
! Through the heart of this vast territory
flows the mighty. Yukon river. the largest
| in North America, larger and longer than
| the Mississippi. On this great river one
| may ride for more than two thousand miles
| with as much comfort as upon, the Hudson.
| The valley of the Yukon has been pro-
nounced richer than. the valley Of the Mis-
| souri,, and it will undoubtedly some day
| support an immense population.
Alaska's Big Coal Bed.
People in Pennsylvania are very much
interested in coal and know what a source
| of wealth it is I believe that there is more
coal in Alaska than in Pennsylvania. nor
fn- El<a1x, he nnd
by any means to Alaska. A rapid increase
| in population, the development of trans
portation and industrial interests will nat
| urally provide a market, but there is in
| addition the great geographical fact that
| Alaska is on the direct route from the
| United States to the orient-Japan, China
| and the Philippines. During the Spanish
| war; transports sailing from San Francisco
| or Seattle. when in hurry to reach Ma
| Mia, passed within sight of the shores of
| Alaska. 1t Is a common impression, gained
| from maps of the Mercator projection, that
| it is much shorter from San Francisco to
Manila by way of ,Hbnolulu. but 1t is a
certain fact that 1t Is several hundred miles
| shorter by Alaska
Goal is but one, Of fttlaska's many min
| eral resources. Gold has been the lode
stone which has drawn thither thousands
| OF prospectOrs. apds many millions have
| been taken out from placer claims. while
| the largest stamp mill in the world Is
| located near Juneau. and has been in I'M
| ceaSlnS operation 1Orimany years.
Deposits Of Copper. -
1.-THE enormous deposits of copper in the
| Copper river region rare now attracting
great attention. Even before the Russian
| occupation the natives of this section made
| for themselves various implements of cop
| per. During the past few months this re-
| gion has been In part examined by experts,
who find actually rf9hHta ms Of this valu-
| able mineral, and rGopernor Brady has
stated that there is enough copper in sight
| to affect the markets of the world most
profoundly. TT has even been stated by
Captain Healy, who was a resident of Mon
| tana for twenty-four years and Alaska
seventeen years, that Alaska will In the
! next thirty years produce more mineral
wealth than the whole United States has
produced in the thirty years just ended
THE Russians made enormous fortunes
| in furs. and millions more have been made
! by Americans since the purchase by the
United States.
ALASKA has the most magnificent fish
cries in the world The catch of salmon
alone last year and each year for the past
three years has exceeded the purchase price
of 81 10000. This is but one of many food
fishes which swarm in Alaskan waters.
There are more cod in Alaska than on the
banks of Newfoundland. Competent au-
thorities declare the fisheries of Alaska are
greater than those of Newfoundland and
forests of finest timber in Alaska which re-
main practically untouched. Alaska Is GER
tain to become great agricultural coun-
try One reason why there has been no de-
Velopment OF agriculture in Alaska is that
1t was only last March that Congress
passed a law making 1t possible for any one
10 OBTAIN title to agricultural lands.
Fine Wheat Country.
"a homestead of 800 acres may now
be secured. When gold was discovered
In California thousands focked thither
across the plains via the isthmus and
around the horn; they took provisions
with them Great numbers disappointed
IN their quest for gold were compelled
to seek livelihood in other directions,
and many took to the land. with the re-
suit that California has blossomed with
wonderful grain fields and fruit orchards.
believe that there is more gold in Alaska
than has ever been taken from California
and that Alaska will some day produce
more grain and of a better quality than
and state In the Union. 1t has been within
my lifetime that the cultivation of wheat
was begun in Manitoba, Dakota and Min
nesota, and as a rule the farther north
the better quality
THE fact that thousands upon thou
sands of acres of the finest grasses cover
the valley from four to six feet high is
an evidence of the great opportunities for
stock raising. Cattle can be wintered in
southern Alaska with far less difficulty and
expense than In Montana, and In many
places cattle will look out for themselves
and keep fat all winter. L believe that
Alaska Is certain to. become one of the
greatest stock raising regions of the
world. z.a.
Fine Vegetables Raised.
Agriculture in Aiasisa is not matter Of
conjecture. for the Wnited States govern
ment has had for several years past ex-
perts at work carefully investigating its
resources and possibilities and after these
years of painstaking6 Investigation makes
public Its estimate that there are at least
100000 square miles of territory in Alaska
admirably adapted to agriculture Prof. c.
c. Georgeson of the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture says: There could
never be greater uaiseonception In regard
to geographical TACT than the popular
idea that Alaska is "a snow-covered waste.
AS matter of fact,aone can travel from
one end of the Yukon TO the other in sum-
mer and never see snow. On the contrary.
one will see tangle2of luxuriant vegeta-
ton. 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 shout
ders.'
THE finest vegetables I have ever eaten