Evening star., 1908-01-19

Pacific ocean with Arizona and
Nevada thrown in for good
measure AS unit Alaska has an inde-
scribabIe shape. One must look at the
map to obtain any idea of its general
geography Alaska reaches from latitude
ia 90 10 latitude II 4O. The most east
e-lv par. of the territory touches the both
nsra,lel Of longitude west of Greenwich.
The Island of Attu. the most westerly
of the Aleutian archipelago, is in east
longitude lI3. A map has been printed
which illustrates the great distance be-
tween the extreme limits of Alaska. This
map when placed over d map OF the
United States drawn on the same scale,
touches Savannah. Georgia and Los An
geles. Cal. and reaches from Mexico TO
Canada. This statement might imply that
Alaska is big as the United states.
The Irregular and odd shape of our north
ernmost possession explains why Il is
only about one-fifth the area of the other
states and territories of the Union. There
are many Alaskan islands. They are
numbered by the hundreds and many of
them of large area and as yet unnamed
There are many bays, inlets and indenta-
tions In the coast. and these islands and
indentatiens give Alaska a coast line that
totals 26.5 800 miles.
Alaska Is a big country. very much big
ger than the ordinary person thinks it Is.
In truth. many persons have never
thought about 1t, and IL it had not been
for the comparatively recent discovery OF
remarkably rich gold placer deposits in
Alaska still fewer people would be giving
the subject any thought. At the present
time Alaska has a white population OF
probably 10000 people. Just at this
writing the population is not so large, as
several thousand people who claim TO be
Alaskans spend the winter Outside" this
term being used to designate the United
States eastern Canada. Europe or any
other part of the globe outside of Alaska
and Yukon territory. AS gold is a COM
paratively recent discovery in Alaska II
is not reasonable to suppose that the few
thousand people who live in the district
have accomplished much in the way OF
exploring this vast country, and very
much less In prospecting It, The truth
IL that Alaska Is today our only frontier
the only part OF our vast domain. except
the recently acquired islands in the Pa
caHc ocean and the Caribbean sea. which
UdS Ilot pcrH oeGupicu ny sc1titTS dIlC
whose resources .at least to a considerable
extent. are not exploited. In Alaska there
are thousands of square miles where
white men have not been. There are other
thousands of square miles over which a
few prospectors have hastily travelled. but
which have not been. as yet, even super
ficially prospected. There is still lesser
number of thousands of square miles
where considerable prospecting has been
done and some development work has
produced most wonderful results.
The gold product of Alaska last year
was about s1sOo0.oOo. The value of Alas
ka gold mined in 1895 is $21 OOo, 600. The
decrease in the product of 1897 was due
TO labor troubles (which tied up the bes,
mines OF the Tanana and Nome regions
during a part of the season. This trouble
has been settled and the promise of the
goId yield this year Is most encouraging
Well informed miners from the Tanana
valley believe that that part of Alaska
viii Weld si5OOO,Ooo. If unforeseen diff
hculties do not interfere with the worl
PLANNED Alaska should produce in 100!
gold OF the value of S230Co.0o.
The total gold product OF Alaska durins
the past twenty years is about $4,000.
CO., 1t is impossible to obtain accurate
information on this subject. but the fol