Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-08
CLIMATE OF ALASKA
VARIES AS MUCH AS THAT OF
THE UNITED STATES.
Some Parts Are semi-Tropical and
Have Winters Without Ice
Mineral Wealth of Territory.

what would you think II you were in
Europe and some one would ask you what
the climate Of the United States was?'
asked DR.. Calell Whitehead, a banker Of
Nome, Alaska, addressing a representative
Of The Star at the Riggs today Alaska
exceeds in latitude by degrees all the ter
ritory of the United States east of the Mis-
sissippi river and 1t exceeds in longitude
all the territory by many more degrees.
In geographical area it is about the same
az that portion Of the United States. Thus
there Is as much difference in the climate
there as there is here between Maine and
Florida, Your European friend in assum-
ing that Portland, Me-, and Jacksonville,
Fla, were In the same belt, possessing the
same climatic conditions would not be as
much in error as you would be in asking
me what the climate of Alaska was.
Meager Interest in Alaska.
However information on other subjects
concerning Alaska is just as meager. There
has always been lack OF interest In that
country on the part of the United States
and many erroneous ideas were caused by
the incorrect statements Of those who op
posed the purchase. While the treaty with
Russia formulated by Secretary Seward
was signed on the Both of March, 1867; rati-
fled by the Senate May %, proclaimed by
the President June 20 and possession under
it taken October is, payment of the 1900
900 purchase money was delayed almost
year owing to the failure of the House to
make the necessary appropriations The bill
providing for the purchase money was OPP
posed by C. C. and E. c. Washburn, Blaine
Logan, Cullem, Butler, Delano, Morrill, and
others, and many who voted for it did so
under protest. All sorts of ridicule were
heaped upon the helpless possession. 1t
-, G., calJ
and other like names. The principal argu
ment used was that 1t was a usurpatiOn Of
the prerogatives OF the House to make q
treaty without first asking the House for an
appropriation to render it effective. Three
or four small garrisons were established at
different points after possession was TAKEN
but two years later the number was re-
duced to two, one at Wrangell and
one at Sitka. In 1871 these were with
drawn and for almost two years there was
no form Of government there and no pro-
lection For several months in 1859 the
United States was not represented there by
any official civil or military. In 1884, sew
enteen years after the transfer, the first
semblance Of civil government was accord
ed, and the law giving 1t deprived the citi-
zens of the more important and valued
can citizenship That was the treatment
Alaska received up to 1884, and today the
laws looking toward the development of the
country are conspicuous for their absence
Winters Without Ice.
.'Parts of Alaska affected by the Japanese
current are semi-trepical, zero is rarely
reached in SitKa and there have been WIN
tiers without ice.;s The mean annual temper
allure of sitka IS the same as that Of this
city, Washington, and the extremes Of heat
and cold are nlneh less. While the winters
of that part of Alaska beyond the influence
of the ocean currents are excessively cold,
the summers are correspondence warm,
affording climatic conditions favorable to
the growth Of Jfar1nJ and garden products.
In all this interior country Is tillable land
of fine quaHtya and there Is considera bic
timber / have seem spruce trees from eight
to ten feet in diameter, and there Is much
pine, hemlock and red and yellow cedar.
All the cereals except corn can be grown to
perfection and the yield will be large. Bar
lev oats and vegetables can be successfully
grown. Wild timothy, blue-joint and red
top grasses grow to a height of from four
to six feet. going to seed in the middle Of
August and this Is a sufficient guarantee
that wheat, oats. rye, barley and vase-
tables eau be raised. A dozen varieties Of
wild fruits insure the success Of dome sic
fruits. Red and black currants, COOS eber-
ries, cranberries, whortleberries and stra W.
berries grow wild. the latter attaining great
size The soil will undoubtedly supply food
for any population within reason which
might find its way to Alaska. Successes
have been made in agriculture in Canada
and Russia under exactly similar condi-
tons of soil and climate. There Is a5un-
dant pasturage for cattle and sheep ard
innumerable streams furnish water. North
from Valdez to Eagle strip Of land aiOng
the trail. has been more or less investigated
for thirty miles east and west. The total
distance is 453 miles. This area is south: of
the Yukon, and Is In reality about 600 mites