The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-04-16

secretary of state when the senior Sew
ard, as Secretary of State, was nego-
tiating nearly so years ago with Russia
for the purpose Of what was then called
Russia America. Mr.. Seward accompanied
his father to Alaska at the time when
William II. Seward after his retirement
from his service OF eight years as Sec
rotary of State. was tempted to visit the
peninsula. Thirty years later Frederick
w. Seward made a summer excursion to
Alaska and returned enthusiastic over
the commercial and withdrawing pos
sbilities which he was sure the Alaskan
peninsula offered His fathers judgment
had been INDICATED. not merely through
the discovery and working of rich de-
posits of gold. but also through the dem
onstration that Mr.. william H. Seward S
faith in the enormity of copper deposits
in the peninsula had been justified by
those who had prospeeted the copper
region.
All that was needed for the commercial
and Industrial development of the penin-
sula Mr. Seward said, after his return
to his home at Montrose on the Hud-
son was railway transportation. lie De-
lieved that the government would De colh-
DelleQ in sell Interest " dosASe II ZIG
construction of a railroad from aeep wafer
to the coal deposits
Since the announcement has been made
that the government has decided upon
the route for the railroad that Congress
authorized the administration to construct
others have spoken with enthusiasm which
fully matches that which was eharac-
teristic of Frederick W. Stewards remarks
to his friends after his return from his
second visit about Il years ago. Sew
eral years after Mr.. Seward spent sum-
mer vacation in Alaska, George W. Per-
kins visited the peninsula. The surmise
was strong that his visit was principally
of a business nature, and was associated
with the development of railway trans
portation from the coast to the great
copper fields Mr.. Perkins, however, upon
his return spoke with enthusiasm of the
commercial possibilities which Alaska Of
fered He then believed nothing but trans
portation was needed for an excellent de-
velopment of agriculture in certain parts
of the peninsula, it having been demon
strated to him that the soil there was
very fertile and that the climate was not
hostile to cerain kind of crops.
A Word of Praise
When 1t was announced that the gov
eminent had selected the route for its
railroad and 1t was also intimated that
purchasing the already constructed
Copper River railroad, Mr.. Perkins
voiced a common sentiment held by
those in this city who know what the
needs and opportunities of Alaska are.
He spoke in praise of the administra-
ton at Washington, intimating clearly
that the construction of the proposed
railroad would be triumph for this
administration which would become
traditional. The railroad is not de-
signed, excepting indirectly, to facili-
tate industrial progress in Alanska, but
it chiefly purposes getting at the coal
deposits. Every well informed person
who has made a study of Alaska has
said that If the coal that is In the penin-
sula could be made available so that
the almost prohibitive price charged
for importing coal may be avoided then
Alaska's development should go for
ward with great rapidly.
The late Maurice L. Muhleman, who
was esteeded one of the highest au-
thorities upon gold production, was ac-
customed to say that with transporta-
ton facilities and with cheap coal the
mining of gold in Alaska would result
in greatly increased yearly production.
In his day, as a member of the United