Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-21
WORLDWIDE INTEREST
The Romance of Alaska
aY FREDERIC j. HAsklN

tween Alaska and the United States
proper now amounts to more than $780,
100000 q year.
So far from being a land OF never
melting and unrelenting Ice, 1t 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 Pennsylvanla.
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
it's northern boundary nearer and
nearer to the role each year, and an
other decade will SET Alaska an Inn
portant factor In the producing
business of the country
It has been carefully reckoned by
government investigator that Alaska
is capable of supporting greater pop
ulation than the Scandinavian penin-
sula of northern Europe. This would
mean the expansion of the present
10000 to 100000, and multiple
cation of wealth in like proportion.
Alaska has already done enough to
justify the wisdom of Seward. 1t has
hardly begun to unfold its riches.
The discovery of the rich gold fields
In 1895 was the beginning of the new
era OF Alaskan history. While the
first great mines were in British ter
ritory, 1t was soon found that there
was plenty OF American gold, too.
The gold seekers endured great hard
ships at first, but the prize was worth
the effort Hence they continued to
push forward and carry the civiliza-
ton of the modern world' with them,
The White Pass railway has connected
the seacoast with the uppep Yukon
since 1900. Other railway lines are
building; the Stewart peninsula is be-
ing gridironed with steel rails.
The telegraph and telephone preceded
the railroad, and what were trackless
and silent wastes few years ago are
now annihilated by the agency of In
stantaneous communication. The fact
that these improvements are going for
ward il Alaska will finally have the
effect of correcting the mistaken no.
tions of the far-northern country
which obtain in the larger part Of the
United States. The people OF the Pa
cific northwest states know about
Alaska, but the rest of the Americans
think 1t is solid sheet Of Ice.
AS a matter of fact, Sitka has
mean temperature of A degrees, which
Is just that of st. Paul. Minn.. and
which Is only degrees lower than that
of Boston, Mass The climatic con-
of our temperate gone, but they are
not 50 rigorous as to prevent great
Industrial development. Take the
example of the Tanana valley. of which
the prosperous town of Fairbanks Is
the metropolis. This valley is about
thirty to thirty-five miles wide and
800 to 900 miles long. 1t has produced
over s20,000,000 in gold from its frozen
soil In the past seven years. But the
future OF the valley does not lie In its
wealth Of gold.
This valley is capable Of supporting
an agricultural population OF at least
$50, 900. The ground in the valley Is
frozen to a depth of 100 feet, but In
March and April It begins to tbaw and
the frost melts out to sufficient
depth to permit cultivation. The fin
est OF small fruits and vegetables are
grown here on land which is underiaid
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 lit
tie 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. rising
about 1880 in the morning and setting
at 1880 at night. Darkness never PEN
etrates the valley during that season
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 yet the mines have
not been developed sufficiently to sup
ply even the Alaskan demand. The
value of Alaskan oil fields is still
problematical, but they may also add
greatly to the natural wealth of the
territory.
The fisheries, the fur trade and the
gold are the principal Alaskan pro-
ducts of today Within a few years
grain, coal and copper will be added.
Then the American people will begin
to appreciate the value of the bargain
made by Mr.. Seward when he bought
this great expanse of territory for
$4,000
Copyright. 1908 by Frederic ]. Haskin.)
Tom0rrow--Protectlng Human Life.