The Alaska daily empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1912-1926, 1915-01-01

Alaska may be said To really begun scarcely more
than of years ago will be readily conceded
that the Territory has made substantial progress in
many ways. Twenty years but very little was
known about this of land and sea, of riv
ers' lakes and mountain ranges, if we except the
southeastern section several there had
Feen considerable mining development and some fish
ing The remainder OF the Territory comprised an un
known region concerning which many werd tales were
"trrenf- For instance. the Copper River country
believed to be inhabited by extremely hostile and war
like Indians who fired upon any adventurous white
man who penetrated their domain, with copper bull
let's AS matter cold fact were found, neth-
in Alaska elsewhere kindly and unofend-
ing people.
But the story of the copper bullets served its
purpose for it conveyed the impression that where cop
per thus freely used it must be plentiful, and
therefore the Copper River region attracted the notice
of the white prospector after the Klondie sta
pede which begar in 1897.
For several years prior to 1890 the Yukon country,
and especially that portion known as the British Yu-
had attracted the hardy and the gold
washed of the bars of the stewart River and the
FOrtymile had excited attention ON the Pacific
Coast Information concerning ii, however was indeed
meager and the means of transportation between the
ports of Washington, Oregon and California were limit
ei and uncertain Alaska in those days. not only
the great country but the distant country
whose remoeness from centers civilization added to
interest and increased its mysteriousness.
The publicity given to Alaska from the time OF its
requirement by the United States until comparatively
recently was negative character 1t pictured dur
ing the debates in Congress when it's purchase
fearlessly advocated by William H. seward, an ice
box" and IA playground for polar bears and this idea
firm fSel i'm he
many people Indeed nearly half century after
its purchase from Russia frgid aspect popularity
supposed to be presented by Alaska, still finds lodg
ment in the American mind In the earlier days the
who made the coast juorney from Seattle or
San Francisco Lynn Canal and Sitka. viewing the
country from the deck of steamer were more anxious
to portray its orbidding features than to note its var
Icehergs and glaciers were popular and
totem poles an obession Fur-clad Eskimos and ice
igloos, of which the Alaskan knows nothing
were Il delight and descriptions of them claimed first
position in books on Alaska that more remarkable
for the vast amount Of misniormaon and downright
ignorance the country, which they contained than
for aught else Even today the stock OF trade OF some
woudbe literary eXpoiters Alaska is the fur parka.
the dog sled ami the totem pole Although hardy voy-
ayers and prospectors had negotiated the waters OF
the Upper Yukon in the early eighties and had brought
pokes of gold dust of their labors and
the golden promise of the Yukon Basin. the stories
that OF the awful dangers to be encoun-
tered by the prospeccr his search for golden treas
found ready belief. No terror that ever walked
by night infested the day in the annals Of mythology
comparable those that beset the wayfarer who
threaded the devious channels of the great river that
led them to Promised land. Miles Canyon, Five Fin
gers, Rink Rapids vertabe maelstroms ready to
engulf their prey, while the hardshps OF the Northland
in and hal
fciently lucid to aid the mental discomfort of the
ear traveller.
The whaling fleets that visited BERN Sea and the
Arctic viewed the inhospitablelookng shores of
Seward Peninsula from the decks of their vessels
dreaming that beneath its frozen and repellent bosom
there was almost nexhausble stores of golden wealth.
Perhaps had they known it, it would have been no al
urement to them for were not walebone and whale
oil fertile sources wealth whose value they could
easily approximate!
Tho agricultural possibilities of Alaska. until within
recent wears we're considered worthy OF discussion
although wears ago in the early days of Forymle and
Circle and Fort Yukon and other interior points, 70 say
nothing of the Coast habtas the prospectors and min
s i.r;.h,v rased vegetables of various kinds. Some
times garden plot near cabin gave an abundant yield
of lettuees radsbes onions and the Ike whiie ire
oueny the cabins roof not only proecteo tne owner
from the nclemencies of climate but served as an
ehorage ground for garden sass as weL
The line of least resistance is not always io"o"eu
by the pioneer The settlement of the Alaska rahnah
de after 1867 was slow indeed In lo0V' a'oo'u'ne ="
report made to the United States oen'uS DaoaD W
Ivan Petroff there were only 14S whi'e peop'' = .n'
entire Territory The white popuia'on ''Aa. poDaD'
numbers 100000 In 1880 the total hunDe' - 'u
people" was 1872 BY 1890. or eA"' ooo
years ago. the white population was
IN WESTWARD
unknown arbOn.h ,nare the Russians had made early
settlements nu had n.sn expoiters Of mineral wealth
70 onv rm,,os 80. The seal fisheries were val
liable to ,nw hn, ,ss rest salmon haDu and cod
fisheries .ma % PRODUCERS up to within e0mpora