The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-07-04
ALASKA AND ITS PLACE
IN RANKS Of PROGRESS
Its History and OutIook---Not Place of Ice and
Aridity---Can Support More Population
Than Scandinavia.

the production Is continuing. 10 LniS
is now being added the produce OF
coal mines and oil fields, the impor-
lance of which is increasing rapidly.
The present population of the terri
tory is about 80, 900, of which 81, 900 are
white men and the rest natives. With
such a sparse population and with
such a comparatively small develop
ment of natural resources, the trade
between Alaska and the United States
proper now amounts to more than $50,
100000 a year.
So far from being a land of never
melting and unrelenting ice, it is now
known that Alaska has agricultural
lands which are greater in extent than
the total area of the New England
states, New York and Pennsylvania.
AS long ago as 1876, the first prize for
wheat at the Philadelphia exposition
was awarded to grain grown in Alaska.
The wheat-growing country is pushing
its northern boundary nearer and near
er to the pole each year, and another
decade will see Alaska an important
factor in the grain producing business
Of the country.
Tt has been carefully reckoned by
government investigators that Alaska
is capable of supporting greater pop
ulation than the Scandinavian PENN
sula of northern Europe This would
mean the expansion of the present co.
600 population to 5000 900, and a null
tiplication of wealth in like proportion.
Alaska has already done enough to
justify the wisdom of Seward, it has
barely begun to unfold its riches.
The discovery of the rich gold fields
in 1898 was the beginning of the new
era of Alaskan history. While the first
great mines were in British territory.
it was soon found that there was plen-
ty of American gold, too. The gold
seekers endured great hardships at
first, but the prize was worth the
effort. Hence they continued to push
forward and carry the civilization of
the modern world with them. The
White Pass Railway has connected the
seacoast with the upper Yukon since
1900. other railway lines are building,
the Stewart peninsula is being grid
ironed with steel rails.
The telegraph and telephone preced-
ed the railroad and what were track
less and silent wastes a few years ago
are now annihilated by the gency of
instantaneous communication The
fact that these improvements are go
ing forward in Alaska will finally have
the effect of correcting the mistaken
notions of that far northern country
which obtain in the larger part of the
United States. The people of the Pa
cific northwest states know about Alas
ka, but the rest of the Americans think
it is a solid sheet of ice.
As a matter of fact, Sitka has a
mean annual temperature of forty-four
degrees, which is just that of St. Paul,
Minnesota, and which is only five de-
grees lower than that of Boston, Mas
sachusetts. The climatic conditions are
quite different from those of our tenn
perate zone, but they are not so rigor-
Gus as to prevent great industrial de-
velopment. Take the example of the
Tanana Valley, of which the prosper
Gus town of Fairbanks is the metropo-
lis. This valley is about thirty to
thirty-five miles wide and 500 to 900
miles long. 1t has produced over $780,
100000 in gold from it's frozen soil in
the past seven years. But the future
of gold.
This valley is capable of supporting
an agricultural population of at least
a quarter of million. The ground in
the valley is frozen to a depth of
hundred feet, but in March and April
it begins to thaw and the frost melts
out to a sufficient depth to permit Gull
tivation. The finest of small fruits and
vegetables are grown here on land
which is underlaid at a depth of three
or four feet by solid ice and frozen
ground. Without this underlying ice
vegetable life could not be sustained,
as there is little rainfall in the summer
and the growing crops depend upon
the sub-irrigation from the ice beneath
the surface. In this valley during the
months of May, June and July, the
sun shines practically all the time. ris
ing about 100 in the morning and set
ting at 1890 at night. Darkness never
penetrates the valley during that sea-
son, and the crops mature very rapidly
under the hot summer sun. This par
ticular valley is perhaps too far north
for the grain grower but Alaska has
millions of acres waiting for the wheat.
OF course the country does not offer
advantages for large farming popu-
lation at this time, because of the lack
Of transportation facilities. AS the
railroads come and the placer gold
mines, the coal fields and the copper
deposits are opened up, the necessary
markets will be provided and Alaska's |
permanent agricultural development |
will go forward
The riches of the Alaskan coal and |
copper fields may yet surpass the |
wealth of its gold mines. The quality |
Of coal found in some of the workings |
Is very high. but as vet tie mines |
have not been developed sufficiently |
to supply even the Alaskan demand. |
The value of the Alaskan oil fields is |
still problematical. but they ma also |
add greatly to the mineral wealth Of |
he territory.
The fisheries. the fur trade, and the |
gold are the principal Alaskan p~od> /
acts of today. Withir. a few years /
grain, coal, and copper will be added. !
Then the American people will begin /
70 appreciate the value of the bargain
made by Mr. Seward when he hoI7oH+