Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1912-07-09


IN change of climate in Alaska
4 last winter, which may be
permanent. The change was
caused by the switching Of the Japan
current toward the shores of that
country This is likely to cause a
great change in the raising of agricul-
tural products and will, perhaps, open
up new fields of endeavor. Records
show that 1t was Alaska's warmest
winter. Capt. Harry S. Knapp, the
governments chief photographer, de-
clares that the Japan current probably
has been switched from its former
course to a position very near the
Alaskan coast by recent earthquakes
In the Aleutian islands. Scientists are
now at work on the problem endeav-
oring to ascertain whether their sup
positions are correct.
The Alaska known to the tourist.
says the Philadelphia Record, Is a
strip of land and fringe of islands
about 425 miles long by 100 miles
wide. This extends north to Mount
Saint Elias and is about one-twelfth OF
the country. The main territory, be-
ginning at Saint Elias, stretches north
ward about 200 miles to the Arctic
ocean and the same distance west
ward to the Boring sea. The total
area Is probably about 590,884 square
miles.
Heretofore, the climate of Alaska
has varied In different parts OF that
country. The impression Is general
that the Alaskan climate is arctic In
It's severity, but this impression Is
misleading. There is no typical Alas
kan climate any more than there Is
! typical European or American climate.
The extremes of latitude and longi-
tude In Alaska find their parallel IN
Europe between Norway and Sicily.
EquabIe Climate.
The Aleutian isles are favored by
most equable temperatures through
the influences of the Pacific ocean
These modifying oceanic influences af-
feet the northern Alaskan coast to the
peninsula, and at Sitka and the coun-
try whereabouts is found a northerly
extension of the temperature condi-
lions of the California and Washing
ton coast region. The Sitkan archi-
pelago has humid equable climate
with cool summers, warm winters and
frequent falls of rain and snow. Oh
the coast stations Sitka is typical, its
mean Of 33 degrees for the coolest
month, February, is practically iden
teal with the January mean OF Saint
Louis. Extremes are rarely known
there.
In the Saint Elias region westward
to the Alaskan peninsula the winters
are usually considerably colder. Earth
err to the northward the coasts are
washed by the Boring sea, cold
body of water with an average tenn
perature of about SO degrees. In con
sequence of the cold sea and Its al
verse winds, it is natural to find
harsher climate on the northwest
coast.
In the interior Of Alaska the climate
becomes continental, with grea
ranges OF temperature between tns
short, comparatively hot summers anf
long. cold winters Within 100 miles
of the coast the oceanic influence
largely disappears
Whether the greater nearness OF the
.Japau current would change this In
terror Is not known. The southwes
coasts of the territory would be at
fected most. The agricultural supply
which would be Influenced by mildel
climate, has in the past been valuable
only for supplying the local market
Heretofore views of all kinds, Opt
mistic and pessimistic, have been ad
vanced on the possibilities Of success
full agriculture In Alaska. A numbe
of successful farmers live there, all II
well-cbosen localities. In the vicinit!
of towns of considerable size.
On the outlying islands, such as Bar
anof, where Sitka Is situated, and Ke
mai, grain has been failure for tn
most part, except when cut for hay. A
Sitka, where potatoes do we'll for SOM
years, they fall off in size and quality