The Cordova daily times., 1915-05-07
SAN FRANCISCO SEES POSSIBILITIES
 IN FUTURE TRADE WITH ALASKA

the advantage of its city establishing commercial rel IS with the Northland. In pamphlet just issued it say
 Much criticism has been directed in the past at San Francisco for her failure to secure a greater share of Alaska trade for this city is desira- ble market and offers greater variety of merchan- disc than the northern cities which have catered to and secured this business. Merchants will say, in excuse that It IS useless for them to reach out for business in Alaska because we have no direct steam CT lines from this port. Steamship officials reply
 You get the trade and will give you direct ship ments." In the meantime nobody moves and a very large and desirable business is diverted to other cities which, to say the least alive to their oppor- tunities.
 Such direct service and should be establish ed now that the Alaskan Railroad is to be built by the Government, and there is every reason why the the San Francisco merchant should take prompt steps to the Governments acquisitions and bid thereon and furnish all of the supplies for this rail road
 San Francnsco is the most favorable market for Alaskan trade. The steamship freight charges are the same from San Francisco as from Seattle To a pomt like Seward there IS about days difference in the sailing from San Francisco as against Seattle the San Francisco trip being about one day longer Most of the merchandise supplied to Alaska from Seattle has to be drawn either from the East Oregon or California, and the greater portion of it must be drawn from California. Merchandise for Alaska supplied by Seattle must bear the expense of freight charges from California the East, the expense of handling through the houses at Seattle and the pro- fit and commission thereon. The houses in Seat tie are smaller and the commission larger. The houses in San Francisco which must in this connec- tOn iii every other be recognized as the commer- cal center of the Pacific Coast are larger and the the commission relatively smaer and 1t is fact that Eastern goods and most Oregon goods as we'll as all California products be landed in the store of the Alaskan merchant at twenty per cent less cost to the Alaskan merchant than goods from Puget Sound.
 Few people realize how fraught with possibility IS the building of this road Its construction will bring about the industrial development of Central Alaska, comprising 100000 square miles. This re- zion includes the gold placer districts of the Yukon Tanana the Copper and Sustna valleys and the lditarod-lnnoko and the Matanuska branch will make accessible eighty square miles of high grade coal lands. The Susitna and Panama valleys which are traversed by the road, contain large areas of agricultural lands and vaster tracts of good grass lands. It has been confidently predicted by many that cattle raising in this region will become pro- ftable industry
 hundred million dollars in gold have been taken out of this section of Alaska With the con- struction of this railroad dollars will commence to flow into it-dolars for substantial development and trade will surely follow the dollars It is up to the San Francisco business man to familiarize himself with conditions in this market which is about to be created at his door,
 If merchants who desrous of entering this
  Statistical Department of the Chamber that depart ment will cooperate with them in securing such in formation will be of value to them.
 In commenting this activity the part of San FrancI he Seattle Times reviews the growth of the Alaska trad e the early days, and among other things says:
 San Francisco's opposition is not the most inn rortan factor this situation for the southern city has been losing steadily Seattle has been gain ing in the fight for Alaska trade.
 A few years years ago San Francisco had practical monopoly in furnishing dredging machines for Alaska. This year practically all the dredging machinery for the North manufactured in Seat tie and San Francisco shipped
 Seattle supplies practically everything pur- chasabe in San Francisco and usually at lesser price. Its advantages lumber center and the proximity of Washington and Oregon orchards and gardens give it big advantage San Francisco.
 This is extremely satisfactory condition to this city Seattle in fact is the great big factor in the Alaska trade today-but the city would be foolish if it did not keep its eye every competitor Seattle desires that this Alaska business shall make it the metropolis of the Western Slope-and it promises to do so within few years.