New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-05

ALASKA should no longer be called NO Man 5
~ Land" Alaska is frontier wonderland, and
by united efforts must make it the Empire
of the North 1t is Every Mans Land, because it
will not tolerate wcaklings; but to the thorough
bred it will offer Undesirable inducements 1t IS
territory unique in its geographical situation IN Its
climate, in its physical beauties. Point Barrow, its
northcrnmost cape is warmer than any point IN the
world as far north Of the equator its southern shores
are likewise warmer than any point in the world IN
similar ATTITUDES during the winter months the result
Of the influence Of the Japan Current
Isoherma lines show that some of the southeastern
sections have climate more temperate and more equa-
bic than that OF Washington, d. c. It's two climatic
belts are known the coast region and the interior
The coast region is rainy, has mild winters and cool
summers the interior region is for the most part dry,
has severe winters and short but warm summers. The
immense quadrangle is divided into three zones by
lofty mountains, which leave between them broad
plains through which the Yukon with more than 300
miles Of nayigablc waters, and the Kuskokwim with
600 open up its vast interior.
Alaska can surpass all the scenic beauty boosted by
Norway. Sweden, and the Tyrol. Its mountains are
higher than Mount Blanc; its glaciers dwarf the Alcr de
Glaze Unlike the glaciers Of Switzcrand which are in
closed bv inland valleys the largest Of the Alaska ga
c,r, terminate on the ocean border interior rivers
with towering fronts hundreds Of feet in height and
miles in width Elsewhere, in sharp contrast, are the
peace and silence OF the rockbound ords, clad IN green
with the snowy peaks oil ldr-Oil mountains ScdlllulS
through the trcctops the skyline pictures more bcau-
tiful than the Hudson or the Rhine show
In the forty-six intervening years since the United
States purchased Alaska, means OF protection
against the possible aggression Of foreign nation and
without the hope that it would be even sct-Supportng,
it has added wealth the grand sum Of s5OOOoO
OOO although it contains today less than 10000 white
inhabitants less than 900 for each year has been in
our possession. Vet it is the largest body OF unused
and neglected land in the United States. For almost
a generation it was the rich harvest field OF a single
company.
This vast and unsurpassed asset lies almost unde-
velopcd territory onc-ifth the size OF the United
States contains less than 100 miles of anything
that can be called a wagon road. 1t has few in
considerable stretches Of railroads. which terminate,
with one exception, either in the wilderness or at
private industry For this reason ought to rejoice
that Congress has fit to agree upon apprOpr1a-
ton Of so OO0OO0 for constructing the necessary syS
tens Il is only with the construction Of least two
transaaskan railroads reaching from open harbors on
tidcwatcr into the vast interior that the wonderful
resources be developed and made to the uses
of man. Building railroads there is a work Of great
magnitude and as an engineering feat will be second
only to the construction Of the Panama Canal. With
out great inducements such work could never be UNI
dcrtakcn by private capital 1t is probable that the
initial work will be begun at once, the funds will be
available by the time this article reaches the reader.
AND the Amcrcan-to whom Alaska essentially be-
longs because ne is both "A thoroughbred and