Douglas Island news., 1914-02-18
Alaska at the Panama Pacific
 International Exposition

international EApOSlClOll
 In 1915. the contestants in tbe great international 'Around-the. world" Avi- ation Contest, who have endured until the last lap of the race, will fly from Kamcbatka to the Commander island, Che last of Che Aleutian islands, thence following the curve of the island group to the south coast of Alaska, somewhere about Cape Elizabeth, thence to Sitka, and thence down the coast to Vancou- yer, which will be the last stop before the hnal flight to San Francisco. Prizes totaliug S3O0O0O are offered to winners in these around the world aces.
 It is significant that in this first cicling of the globe by aircraft, over a continuous route which is to start east from San Francisco; pass through Chicago to New York; and thence up Che Newfoundland coast, by way of Greenland aud Iceland, through the great capitals of Europe, Glasgow, London, Paris, Berlin, and St. Peters burg; through such pOpulous centers of the far east as VladivostOck, Kobe, and Tokio, it will be necessary to touch the ports of Ala Sa, 9 district which only a few decades ago was the utter most end of the earth-seemingly cut off forever from the uses and benefits of the worlds civilization.
 AS this route was selected as the most practical by which any eucircling journey by air could be made, tbe im- portauce of Alaska will be enhanced should ever transportation by air be come of commercial significance; and the art and science of aviation has made such strides in tha last few years that the ajrmen predict the next cen- tury will undoubtedly see much devel. opment-at least in regard to passen- ger transportation.
 But Alaska's development does not hinge upon any contingency as this, however probable or improbable.
 The Pauama-Pacifc International Exposition to be held in San Francisco in 1915. of which tbis world compa= =-ing aviation contest is to te but oue fea- ture. will bring to Alaska some benefits which sbe cannot escape, and other large benefits to be measured only by the intelligence and energy with which Alaskan. make the most of their oppOr- tuuity Go educate the citizens of Amer ica as to what sort of a country Alaska really i-, and what her resources and needs
 A country of limitless resources, not only in her fisheries and mines, but in her timber and sg, icultural lands as we'll, Alaska will share, with tbe whole western coast of America, the destiny of the Pacific ocean-the great com mercial highway of Che future Alaska is destined to receive a vast share of the benefits which will accrue to all America hrouQh Che opening of the Panama eaual.
 The peculiar benefit 90 Alaska of the opening of this new water highway lies in the fact that while she bas yet much Go hope for iu the way of. agricultural development, her greatest wealth will always toe from her coal and mineral lands. Next in importance will be her Rsheries and her tim Der resources.
 The exports of Alaska, by reason of their unperisbable nature, lend them selves to water transportation, rather Chan to the more costly and rapid transportation by rail. And, as the greater part, and in fact practically all, of the districts output is sent to the markets of the United States, which before this. time there has been no way of reaching except by rail or by the laborious and dangerous route around Cape Horn, it is quite probable that 1 the proportionate benefit in the reduc tion of freight rates and the time con sumed in passage between ports, will be greater in the case of Alaska than in that of any other states and territories of the United States.
 While these benefits will follow spon- taneously upon the completion of the canal. Alaska cannot make full use of such transportation facilities unlese given the opportunity to develop her resources. And the only way in which she can gain this opportunity is by ed ucating the people of the United States
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