The Alaska daily empire., 1914-12-04
A1-BERI .IN I.A yDED
- AL-As--.lI 8s-a !

CHlIB IN AlJllN
 The i5Ilowipg intecYlow Was eccofe. cd the Portland Journal oy yn'ssq stata Marahnl ErRin ol sairea vino recently wn8 in Portland;
 sWlth al yonr intereal in .he ae- gsiopment 5f Alasm you paople ol the Nor.hWe1tern atntea cannot begin to appreciate the Importance ol che passaga ol tho Alaskan railroad plll as we do. and VIC ore Well aware ol che work that sonator Chamberlain hes dons for this measure
 The foregng stotemene was maae by Lewis T Erwin, oi toirDanie ln2 United Siatea marshal Of tne Roafsn Judicial division Of Alhska, the iat5' est ol the districts that comprise tne United States and it's possessions. ano the most important district outside of .be ono in New York City Af. nrwn arrived in Portland with four insaae patients for 1iorninsside 7ani' tariam noar this city whore the goY- ernment confines its insane patiensa
 With greatest interest Mr. Erwin said. the progress Of the Alaskan feli, road bin was noted in Congress ana its passage was the signal for cele' bratlon throughout the vast territory The survey. starting laatsummer was eagerly watched and the surveyors received tbo warmest welcome.
 rhero ia no question but that the railroad will go to Fairbanss, Mf Erwin assorted. Every preliminary survey from the coast to the Inland ! came to our oity Tba5e surveys have beon completed, and the members of the two crews came down on Lne 1 boat with me and are preparing thel' notes for subm 5siou to the president ! I look for work oI eonsuuction to staf' Inext Spring.
 In ell probability Mr. Erwin lhlnks the railroad will so inward from Seward. and running to Fair 1 banks will be S5O miles in length.
 "Tho reeion about Fairbanks IS settling up rapidly. and with rail road we look for thousands, loo con tinues. A great many homcsteacs ] have been taken in the last year. ! Most people regard the interior ol l Alaska as a desolate, rigid country where nothing can loo grown. but this year. and for the last dozen years at the Fairbanks lair che most mag nilicent vegetables ever saw have been exhibited. Our actual growing season is almost as long as yours for we have sunshine an night during the summer months.
 Potatoes Principal Crop
 "The principal crop is potatoes, and threo or four tons to the acre are raised iu some places. There are nine vegetables that grow exceedingly wei ! In the valley around Fairbanks.
 Tn my own garden this year ! had cabbages weighing S6 pounds but in contesting for prizes at the fair ] was defeated by another mol who has won the prize with heavier ! cabbages for several years.
 "Grain grows well, provided enc quickgrowing varieties Of the Scanai l nayian peninsula or Northern Russia where the climate is like ours i5 se cured
 Marshal Wilson Is Wilson ap Dointe and was ap Alaskan delegate at tho Baltimore convention. ae nai lived in Alaska 10 years and is inter ested in placer gold mining.
 Erwip's District 70 Immense
 The Fourth Judicial district covers 100000 square miles, and the tota l area of Alaska is httle less than 5O0.O0O square miles. Marshal Erwin | has 20 deputies undor him, one oi whom is stationed all tho time al Fort Yukon. North of the Arctic CT 1 cie The office last. year. in the ad minisuation of justice spent S26O' GOO.
 He left Fairbanks two weeks agC with nine prisoners four guards and ] matron. besides himself Eve of the l prisoners were Insane and one of the number, an Indian man, jumped oy or3oard in the Yukon at night Hs was afterward captured, and IS nov ! at skagway. Marshai Erwin will starr ! for skagway Friday night to set his ! prisoner. and will then return to Port land.