The Chitina leader. [volume] (Chitina, Alaska) 1910-1928, 1912-09-10
THE SUFFOCATION OF ALASKA.

Editor James Kelley of the Chicago Tribune who recently
visited this section of Alaska impressed all who in
with him with the idea that he not only OBJ
serving but also fair minded Although conservation
h and strong supporter of Col Roosevelt in his present
fight it is evident that Mr. Keeeey not impressed with
the Pnchot and Roosevelt idea of conservation applied to
Alaska In recent issue of the Tribune Mr. Kelley makes the
following editorial appeal for Alaska:
Alaska is an example of conservation wild It's coal
wood and lands and all that they contain bling held in
trust not for of but for our great grandchildren
While we hands off Alaska is being starved 1t is time to
give those who striving to develop this too ovabe
land a chance to breathe and eat.
cit good days work when the hands of the Wall
street pioneers torn from the throat OF the far northern
territory protecting governmental fingers around the
throat hardly be called blessing if they stay there too
long and grip too tightly.
'Alaskan coal and coal lands have bred many scandal
The federal Chicago will take up of these
before the flies But because they have melted crooked
that is for making them ncommuncado for
all time There's coal there and lots of it. The settlers and
their struggling industries need it. Why not at least begin
to devise plan for letting someone use it,
"One month ago the dock at Cordova two piles
of coal550 tons awaiting to be shoveed into the bunk
of the United States cruiser Maryland This coal
from Canada and cost the American government duty and
freight oil burning steamer included just $11 ton
And less than fifty miles from Cordova railroad (oper
ated also with oil brought from California; there is of the
greatest coal fields in the world thoroughly conserved and
corked.
Every touching Kechkan Stka, Juneau Cordova
Valdez and Seward carries lumber these Alaskan New
castles Ties and bridge mbers imported to build the
Copper River railroad In this the moving
have been pque the part of Morgan and the Guggenhem
rather than The road costing $20O0000 makes
possible the shipping of from their Bonanza copper mine
the high grade worth $4,000 In little
100000 has been taken from this mne and the annual prod
from should reach at least that They charge
themselves $500 freight for hauling this less than
200 miles So the 1913 900 will back to peck
ct or the other.
''Big igures-but ice $50 ton in Cordova this
mer with the Chds glacier of the largest in the world
fifty miles away.
And while the treasures of the land under lock and
the golden harvest the seattle samons being reaped
with thoroughness that destruction Millions upon
millions Of fish killed each year, and, with the exception
of puny efforts by cannerie which operate small hatch
cries. nothing done this industry and the
inevitable day when the story of the buffalo will be the story
of the salmon.
''Alaska has it's problems and needs counsel and aid
Coast towns that three years had population of 5000
today number 700 less They living hope hanging
in expectancy and praying that something will happen Any
thing they say, better than nothing Conservation ism
exactly popular word there and yet the solid of these
towns admit that has done lot of good What they really
would like chance demonstrate its benefits rather than
leave that pleasing task to the third fourth generation
''What Alaska suffered from first exploitation.
''What it suffers from is sufocaton.'
The idea of economy which compromises battle
ship that will cost much two is clear to the
try as it seems to be to the House.