Douglas Island news., 1905-01-04
JARVIS TALKS OF ALASKA.

customs at Juneau, gave to repre- sentative of the Seattle Post-Gntelli- gencer the following interesting and instructive statement:
 Alaska's principal productive indus tries are fishing and mining. Others will develop in time, but these two now constitute her wealth and support. While my sea experience has given me some knowledge of fishing, l have no expert knowledge of mining, so any opinion expressed must be based upon information gained in my present of flee. which comprehends the business of the entire country, from an extended acquaintance with all parts of the ter ritory, upon information that comes to me as an interested observer and upon the quality of my judgment as to the true conditions of business.
 As commercial factor Alaska can be said to be about ten years old. Du- ring that period it has, to great eX- tent, been in the exploitation stage, but now in all parts of the country there is a growth of permanent popula- tion. The different centers are improv- ing in character, in buildings and homes and tone of life. The real resi- dent is like that of any other new country-bold, resolute and determin- ed to work his success in life from his surroundings. The climatic conditions, while misunderstood by many people in the United States, are healthful, and families live in pleasure and com fort and children grow to a degree of vigor hardly equalled anywhere in the United States. It is a fact that nearly everyone who lives in the country or has business interests here is proud to call himself an Alaskan. l mention the above to emphasize the fact that Alaska does possess the same attrac- tions and the same interest for the de- velopment of home life and happiness as any other part of the world.
 It is my observation that the resi- dent population is engaging more and more in the business of the country, not merely as workers and laborers, but as managers and owners, and dis coverers and developers of industries. It is also my observation that those people who live in the States and have investments in Alaska go there more often and spend more time there, as we'll as identifying themselves with the country more than formerly.
 From these observations and from the substantial growth of trade, l be- Iieve the country has passed the OK perimental stage, and now has a sub stantial business standing and founda tion of it's own. It's greatest need now is capital for the development of it's industries and the improvement of it's transportation facilities. The time has now come when capital can and should seek investments in Alaska; not as "fiers" or 'gambles," but with the same care and judgment that are exercised in making investments in other parts of the world. With this care and judg- ment the same substantial investments can be made in Alaska as elsewhere, and with promise of greater returns.
 In considering the business of the country from the statistics of trade covering many years l find a most heaIthfuI condition. The present year business shows an increase in every feature, and I believe the whole busi- ness of the country will never be less than it is at present. can see only promises of growth for every business center now in existence and the pros poets of the discovery and establish ment of many more.
 In Southeast Alaska the past years work has demonstrated the existence of number of valuable mines which, in the near future, will contribute greatly to the annual output. In Prince William Sound tidewater copper mines have been developed to the stage where one can say with assurance that that region will soon have one of the largest outputs of copper in the world. The placer deposits of the Yukon valley and it's tributaries have simply been touched, and it is the opinion of good mining men that with cheaper and
 better transportation, cheaper methods of working such as hydraulic mining, all the old mining camps of Forty Mile, c,..I. D,.,,,,,,,t TEo-,,l,,,l, o,,d Othnrs