The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1909-09-17
INTERESTING DATA
CONCERNING ALASKA.
Some History about Wonderful Coun-
try and It's Resources.

Having gotten together an d publish
ed last week some observations as to
our recent twenty-day voyage along
the coast of Alaska, we reproduce be-
low an interesting bit of history about
Alaska and the trip prepared and dis
tributed among the members of the
National Editorial Association by the
Alaska Steamship Company. These
facts and figures are well worth read
ing:
"It was on July 18th, 1741, one hun
dred and sixty-eigh. years and eight
days prior to the date for the sailing of
the National Editorial Associa ton Ex-
cursion for Alaska, that Vitue Bering.
after cropping his way across the un-
harted waters of Bering Sea and the
North Pacific Ocean, sighted the coast
of Alaska. Just forty-four days before
the discovery of Alaska, George Wash
ington cut down the cherry tree in his
fathers garden. We know that some
unsentimental historians dispute this
episode, so familiar to childhood men,
poraneous event that would put the
date of the discovery of Alaska in dis
play type have brought to light the un-
expected and astonishing fact that
Geo. Washington, then in his tenth
year, felled the cherry tree with his
little hatchet on JuHe 4, 1741, to Gel
ebrate the third birthday of George III. /.
1t is not the province of this folder to
discuss whether this little cutting af-
fray had anything to do with the sub
sonages.
Had this great prize of discovery
fallen to any other nation than the one
possessing the whole of northern Asia
as frontier, it would not have passed,
after little more than a century of un-
comprehending possession, for a sum
less than the present value of one sea-
sons catch of food fishes along it's coast
nation. AS well might Americans 100
years ago attempted to estimate the
value of the Louisiana Purchase as to
presume today to forecast the future
Importance of that great real estate
transaction whereby, at a price little
under two cents the acre, the United
States added to it's possessions 375, ,O0O,-
900 acres of unexplored land in the
northern part of the continent. For
thirty years the traditions of the Rus
sian fur corporation and the prejudice
engendered by the political contro-
versy attending the requirement of
Alaska served to keep the people of the
United States from coming into the en-
ioyment of their own. The country was
supposed to be valuable only for the
rich furs which it's land and water an
imals produced.
'For quarter Of a century a handful
of Alaska pioneers have been telling in
a feeble voice that the country is val
liable and that it has many great re-
sources; that it is an "empire without
people," The voice of the pioneer is
beginning to be heard. We are going
to take you, gentlemen of the National
Editorial Association, on brief trip
into this new land of promise; and we
believe that the journey will delight
and astonish you, and we hope when you
return to your homes and your work
that you will carry with you facts about
the country and memories of pleasant
voyage that will make interesting ma
terial for your readers. Maybe you'll
add your clarion voices to the feeble
voice of the pioneer, and help to cor
rect the misapprehensions concerning
Alaska.
1--WE must travel six hundred miles
before we reach Alaska, and in order
that you may see the country from a
proper viewpoint we shall ask you to
indulge us while we briefly tell you
something about this wonderful North.
land of ours. Alaska has an area of
586, 400 square miles. This is greater
than the combined area of Washington,
1t was purchased from Russia in 1867
and cost the United States $1,000, 900.
Since 1873 the total value of Alaska
products is $500, 100000. The value of
mineral exported from Alaska during
this period is $14S,OOO, 900. Gold is the
principal item of these minerals. The
gold produced would weigh about 284
tons and is valued at $4,000, 900. Most
Of this gold has come from placer de-
posits. There are two creeks in Alas
ka-Anvil reek, in the Nome country,
and Cleary Greek, in the Fairbanks dis
trict-each of which has produced more
gold than we paid for the country.
The Treadwell mines on Gastineau
Channel, with surface area Of not
more than 200 acres, have produced
gold valued at five times the purchase
price of Alaska. There are hundreds
Of millions Of dollars Of this valuable
metal in sight. and vast regions Of mn
explored territory. The mineralixed
area Of Alaska is greater than the en-
tire state Of California, and the indiea-
tions justify the statement that .Alas-
Ia contains more gold than California,
AuatraliA. or Guuth Africa Y s4sss IL