Valdez daily prospector., 1913-03-28
FERGUSON TALKS ABOUT ALASKA
Advertises Territory While Seek ing Position of Marshal-ls
 Making Headway.

papers from st. Joseph. Mo-, with neat cut of Robert Fer guson, the Valdez business man, now on the outside seeking the appointment of marshal for this division. Friends have received from him the information that ne is making good hcadway and that he expects to land the plum. The article, which appeared in the St. Joseph Gazette. is here re- produced:
 For h" first inlr since the real settlement of the country. which came with the gold rusheS of the early ninetieS, Alaska will be of importance in political way tn the Democrats. There are about la thousand appointments to be made and these will be through he newly elected president. Heretofore the Republicans have controlled the offices in the territory for the reason that there has been no Democratic president since it's settlement.
 Robert p. Ferguson. a candidate for United States marshal in the Third Judicial division, has been in st. Joseph during the past few days lining up his friends to help in his race. He is a former Mis- sOurian, though he has lived in Valdez and vicinity since 1898. He is engaged in business there and has his home established in Valdez, a coast town of about D. 900 persons, which is the center of his division for the court.
 Are Four Divisions.
 Alaska is divided into four ju- dicial divisions" said Ferguson, ''in each of which there is a Un- ited States judge, a prosecuting attorney, and marshal, appoint ed by the president. The terri tory contains 5O0,000 square miles, and the Third division, in which l am seeking the marshall ship, contains about 100000 square miles. The marshal, through deputies, has charge of preserving the peace in this vast district. He makes arrests for anything from murder to petty theflS. There are commissions CTS in the district before whom petty cases are tried. but all i'm portant cases come befor" the 1 judge. There are about 60,0OO white persons throughout Alas ka. The natives are fast dying out.
 Heretofore the territory has been governed entirely through these judicial divisions. A terri Iorial bill was passed by congress last fall giving the people home rule to q limited extent. and on March i the legislature will meet for the first timc. Most of the sixteen representatives and eight senator's were elected on non- partisan tickets.
 Want Coal Fields Opened.
 One of the things most desired by the people is the opening of the vast coal fields, said to be among he finest in the world. which have not yet been touched. ] These fields are within 200 miles ; of Valdez and the government is contemplating building a railroad to them. Now we pay from $i2.50 to S2O ton for coal, which is imported from British Columbia. while our government has mil lions of tons. which should sell for S6 to $7 a ton. "While l am a booster for Alaska. do not think that the az ricultural resources will ever be developed extensively. The wealth of the territory will come from it's gold, copper and coal mines.
 ''In Valdez the climate is mild compared to the interior. ] have never known it to be more than t5 below zero, and last winter the lowest was two below. II remains !hat low for only short time during the day"
 Ferguson left last night to visit friends in MOberly, where he formerly lived. He was a visitor yesterday al the office of Ernest l.. Leach, who has a brother, Marion. Leach, on the Valdez Prospector, a daily newspaper.