The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-06-21

err the style OF those used In Pennsyi.
vania are beginning to dot the land
scape rather thickly, and already Kay
ak has its oil exchange.
An analysis of the Kayak oil made
from specimens taken from well
drilled some months ago shows 60 per
cent naphtha and Illuminating oils,
165 per cent of lubricating oil and the
balance paraffin, vaselne and small
percentage of residuum, making this
the highest grade of oil ever discovered
anywhere. The log of the we'll referred
to, as nearly as can be learned. is as
follows: Surface drift, feet: broken
shale. 10 feet; light Colored soft shale,
no feet; fine grained sandstone, 1S
feet: strata of coal. G inches; dark hard
shale, 100 feet; strata of quartz, inch
es; oil casing, foot. making total Of
365 feet, when oil and gas apparently
In abundance were found. The well
was capped, but 1t is asserted upon
good authority that it Is 1000 barrel
''gusher."
There Is fine timber throughout the
whole of Kayak district for fuel and
lumber, being principally spruce. The
climate of this district Is mild, the
thermometer seldom reaching zero dur
ing the winter season. The snowfall
is usually from three to five feet in a
season. The Kayak country Is at all
times accessible, there being two en-
frances, one between the mainland and
Big Kayak island, the other between
Big and Little Kayak islands. There Is
always good shelter for ship at an
Choir about a mile from the town of
Kayak, which is situated on Little Ia
yak island.
While gold has thus far been Alas
ka's principal contribution to the
worlds accumulations, the develop
ment of its other mineral resources
will add vastly greater wealth. But
these do not tell the whole story of
Alaska's richness and fecundity. The
territory has great agricultural posi-
bilities and Is already making wonder
full strides in farming and stock rails
ing. Wheat. barley, oats, rye and all
hardy vegeta bles and berries are pro-
fusely grown. Cattle. sheep and swine
flourish in the luxuriant pastures the
country affords.
Alaska covers 59O,S04 square miles.
or 1863, 100000 acres. equal to the COM
bined area of Maine, New Hampshire,
Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island.
Connecticut. New York, New Jersey,
Delaware. Pennsylvania, Maryland
ma, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida,
Alabama. Mississippi and Tennessee,
and much of this vast area is fine
farming and grazing land.
The territory possesses unique agri-
cultural superiority over most other
parts Of the world It is this: In sum-
mer there is NO night, so that grain.
vegetables and plants Of all sorts grow
In perpetual sunlight during five con-
secutive months. which represents in
reality ten months of growth. The
constant humidity which the sun
maintains at the roots of all Alaskan
plants by means Of the progressive
thawing of the ground deeper and
deeper pushes their growth. and hence
the marvellous fertility Of the soil in
region which many have imagined to
be cold and sterile.
The offer, therefore. of Uncle Sam to
give farms to all bis SONS who will
come here and till them Is not to be
scoffed at. It is no Joke. Alaska can,
furnish desirable. homesteads of 800
acres each to 100000 families and can
support in comfort 100000 people.
The greatest need In the develop
ment Of Alaska's wealth producing re-
sources, both mineral and agricultural.
Is better transportation facilities. 1t Is
not too much to expect that these alone
would convert the mining districts of
central Alaska into as closely a popu-
lated and prosperous region as Colora-
do. the Black Hills of South Dakota or
the rich mining region of British CO.
iumbia. while they would in reasona-