Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-01-12
|Hl NEEDS Of ALASKA
Report of the Spec al Commit
tee Presented to the Sen
ate Today
is AN INTERESTING DOCUMENT

The Government Urged to Do Some
thing Toward Building Road t
Skagaway in Order That American
May Receive Products on Equal Basi
With Canadians.
| Washington, Jan. IL. Senator Dill
inghan. from the committee on terri
tories, introduced in the senate toda.
| the repor; OF a sub -connrittee, consist
Ing of Senators Dillingham;. Bulnham
Nelson and Patterson which VISITED
Alaska during the last summer anc
made a thorough investigation of ex-
listing conditions. resources and legis-
Iaive needs of the territory. The com
mfttee visited Matlaka.ia. Ketchikan
Fort Wrangel, Juneau. Douglas Island
and the Treadwell mines, Haines Mis-
sion. where the government is now es-
tablishing a military post. Skaguay
White Pass. Lake Lebarge. Lewes
river, Dawson. ST. Michael. Eagle City
Fort Yukon. Circle City. Rampant. For,
Gibbpn, Nome. st. Paul Island, the
headquarters of the sealing Industry
Dutch Harbor and Unalaska. kariuk
Kodiak. Naldes and Sitka. AS result
of Its inquiries the committee has made
many recommendations to congress.
A statement of receip-s and expenli-
lures of the general government since
Alaska became part OF the United
States shows a profit to the govern
ment OF nearly million dollars. The
report says that in 1892 the output o.
canned salmon from Alaska was 2,6S1,-
S21 cases. valued at about sS,000.000.
from which the government derived a
revenue of s105,253. The committee
recommends that some provision be
made for propagaing salmon in suf-
ficient quantities to insure the perma-
nency of the supply. The present law
requiring the establishment of a hatch
cry by each company and the planting
of ten red salmon fry for each red
salmon caught, the report says. can
proportionate expense an expense
greater than the profits of the bust
ness will warrant. 1t Is suggested that
hatcheries be established by the gem
eral government at as many places as
may be found necessary. the entire eS-
pense to be laid on those in the salmon
industry In proportion to the amount
of the respective product of each con-
Germ.
The report says that the great
wealth to be derived in the cod, her
ring and halibut fisheries of the Alas
kan coast is little comprehended be-
cause few have sought 1t. The COM
mlttee predicts that the annual catch
of cod can be made to exceed that of
New Foundland or any other part of
the world. Whether the climatic con-
ditions of the region which initiate
be overcome has not been fully deter
mined.
The production of gold in Alaska
with some fiuctuation, has steadily In
creased since 1898, when it amounted
to only $2.517,121. In 1902 1t reached
the sum of ss,34o,S00.
Silver has not been produced only in
limited quantities. and other mineral
products, while reported. have not yet
been extensively exploited.
The most unfortunate of all the ex-
listing faulty conditions in Alaska, the
report says. Is the poor transportation
facilities. The committee calls atten
ton to the fact congress has provided
a good government for the district of
Alaska, but substantially no legislation
calculated to aid the people in the de-
velopment of great areas of gold and
copper producin gterritory. Outside the
few, scattered settlements called towns.
most OF which are only the centers of
mining interests, there is not to be
found single public wagon road over
which vehicles can be drawn summer
or winter. In that connection the COM
mittee says:
1.-THE development of Alaska depends
more on the Improvement of transport
tatioif facilities than on any other one
Substantially every
thing consumed by the people and ev-
erything required to carry on business
must be brought in from he outside.
The inactivity of our government in
manifest. 1t has done nothing to re-
lieve this condition. The action of the
dominion government has been a
marked contrast to the inaction of the
United States.
AS soon as gold was discovered in
the region of the klondike, the domin-
lon government Immediately began the
of roads leading from
Ii,