The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-01
THE WORLDS FAIR
The Exhibit Promises to Show Resources That
Will AStoniSh the World.
By ROBERTUS LOVE.

/ hay grasses of many kinds-in fact
practically everything that is grown II
Iowa or Illinois.
The animal section of Alaska's eXhib
it will be interesting. Here the FUR;
are famous in commerce, and the ami
mails that wear them will be seen
Foxes of five distinct hues will MAKE
an interesting feature; they are black
silver, red, white and blue. White
black and brown bears; the marten, TN
mink, the wolverine, the beaver and tn
ermine, all will serve to illustrate th-
fur products of Alaska.
William H. Seward was chiefly IN
strumental in securing Alaska as
United States territory. 1t is recalled
that when congress was discussing the
wisdom of paying $72OO,00O for Alaska
Gen. Benjamin F. Butler of Mass
achusetts, a member of the House o.
Representatives, said in a speech or
the floor of the House:
IF we are to pay for Russia's friend
ship this amount, 1 desire to give hei
81, 200, 900 ana let her keep Alaska.
have no doubt that at any time within
the last twenty years we could have
had Alaska for asking-I have heard i
was so stated in the cabinets of two
presidents-proVided we would have
taken it as a gift. But no man, ex-
cept one insane enough to buy the
earthquake in ST. Thomas, or the ice
fields in Greenland could be found tc
agree to any other terms for it's ac-
QUESTION to the country"
Congressman Loan of Missouri, in
the same debate, said: 1.-THE acquisi-
ton of this barren and inhospitable
waists would never add one dollar tc
the wealth of our country or furnish
homes to our people"
Sneers and jeers met the purchase
proposition on every hand You are
buying an iceberg" said the public.
Nevertheless, Alaska was bought. That
was but thirty-six years ago, and it is
estimated that since the date of pur-
chase Alaska has produced, in furs,
fish, gold and revenues, $l62,OOO,OOO.
Practically all this wealth has been
produced. as the Worlds Fair showing
will set forth, within the past twenty
years.
Most persons will be astonished to
learn that the salmon taken from Alas
kan waters has equaled in value the
gold product of the territory. The
| figures show that about $5O,O0O,OCO OF
each have been produced. In seal
skins the wealth poured down from
Alaska has exceeded even those fig
ures, being $52,O00,000.
The Agricultural Department at
Washington is working hard to over
come the idea that Alaska is a frozen
waste, incapable of producing grain
| grasses and other farm crops. The
| department will cooperate heartily
with the managers of the Alaskan
exhibit in efforts to show that the
| temperature of Alaska in much of its
area is more favorable for sustaining
white population than are some of the
countries of Europe, and that splendid
crops may be grown throughout vast
areas of the territory, which contains
100000 square miles, or $4,000 acres
This is larger than all New England
| the Middle States, Virginia, West Vir-
ginia, North and South Carolina
Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi
| and Tennessee combined.
1.-The great river valleys of Alaska
like the Yukon, the Tanana and the
| Copper" recently wrote Gov. Brady
embrace cultivable areas large enough
! for good-sized states"
Arthur c. jackson, president OF
the Alaska Geographical Society, says
that his country has the grandest
scenery in the world and resources
sufficient to support 100000 people
One feature of the worlds Fair ex-
hibit will be an immense collection
of Photographic views of Alaskan
| scenery.