The Detroit times., 1915-08-05
ALASKA IS
PRAISED BY,
DR.. KENNEDY
Vast Wealth And Fer
tile Soil Assure
Great Future
TOURISTS RETURN
FROM LONG TRIP

Ut. y. -. henneuy, just nome from
a trip to Alaska. cannot say enough
In praise OF the beauties OF that
country, its vastness and wealth of
products.
When Alaska was purchased by
the United States for $1,000 900. In
1867. it was considered a very bad
bargain" said DR. Kennedy. "The
Tredwell mine alone has paid In
dividends nearly 10 times the
amount OF the original price. The
products OF the country, gold, sill.
yer. coal. lumber. fish and furs have
paid dividends OF 1000 per cent on
the original investment.
Juneau Is the capital with a pop
ulation OF 5000. The temperature
there reaches 90 degrees In sum
mer. Flowers OF every variety
bloom in rich profusion and are I'M
usually beautiful. The water sup
ply is the purest. coming directly
from the mountains.
The United States government
has established schools, and has APP
propriated money for an agricultural
college and college OF mines.
Experimental agricultural sta
tions, under the supervision o. Mr..
Georgeson, TO the number OF 80 are
established all over the country,
and strawberries, raspberries. rhu-
barb. and many OF our vegetables
grow luxuriantly. One strawberry
vine had 200 strawberries on it,
Oats are the main crop in the Yukon
valley. and il is estimated that e..
c0C.0o0 acres are available for agr!-
cultural purposes
THE Thane mine spent $4,000.
900 on work and equipment before
one ton OF ore was taken from IT,
Before the end OF the year II IL ex-
pected to yield 10000 tons per day
at an average OF $3.50 per ton.
Fairbanks is a thriving town. and
bids fair TO become the Chicago OF
Alaska. The next worlds fair Will
be held there in 1918.
Alaska has wonderful river
system with 5000 miles OF naviga-
HE water The United States In
tends to adopt the German method
of utilizing the rivers in conjunction
with the railroads. and has appro-
priated s35.0o0.0 for railroad con-
struction. The Yukon is the fifth
longest river in the world, having
1000 miles of water which are nav
igable.
THE salmon industry Is growing
enormously. There are rs Gamer
les. in some Of which 20 pounds Of
salmon is canned per minute
Trade between Alaska and the
United States last year amounted
to $65. 900, 900, and present indica-
tions are that these figures will be
exceeded this year.
"The forest service estimates that
s00.000.000 feet Of lumber can be
cut each year without exhausting
the supply. this to go on forever. as
the trees grow so rapidly. The
price paid is $40 per 1000 feet. at
which figure the forests would yield
each year 100000 more than was
paid for the whole country"
DR.. Kennedy visited the unique
little town Of Metlakahtla. which
was built by FIR. Duncan, an Epis-
copal missionary from London. Eng
land. for his Indian flock. FIR. Dun
can has been In Alaska 2S years
and has had great success with the
Indians. A cooperative plan was
evolved, by which they built for
themselves a model town with first
class water and sewer systems.
lighting. housing, etc.
AS. Alaska r. IL times the size
of New York state. with virgin soil
and virgin forests: as the 21.000,.
900 acres of coal land are said to
horde enough coal to supply the
United States for $500 years, and
a. there are as yet but $1,000 peo-
pie In the whole country. there Is a
future before II which II Ia impos-
sible to estimate" added the doctor.
Dr.. Kennedy was a member Of a
party Of several prominent Detroit.
ers. including Mrs. Kennedy. DR..
Albert McMichael. president OF the