The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-03-30
"sEWARD's ICE BOX"

iAlaskans are busily preparing a great celebration, just one year from today, of the semi centennial of the purchase of that territory by Uncle Sam. It was on March 30, 1867, that the memorable deal was made by which the American dominion. of the Great White Czar passed to the Unit ed States. Uncle de1ved into his strong box to the extent of ST, 200, 900 in buying the territory, and a major ity Of his subjects believed that he had been tsstung. Subsequent events have demonstrated that March 30, 1867s was one of the biggest bar stewards Ice Box as Alaska was jeeringly called because Secretary of State William H. Seward was largely responsible for it's purchase, has proved to be full of a number of val uable things. Many covetous corpora lions would now be glad to pay ST. 200, 900 for just a small slice of the 590.e84 squa1e miles which the Unit ed States bought. from the Czar for that sum.
 The celebration of the semf-centen- nial next year will take the form Of a series of festivities in the various cit ies and towns of Alaska. Skagway, Juneau, Fairbanks,f Ketchikan, Wran- ge1I and other cities are planning to display their resources to all corners. 1n0y Will OII6r none OF In0 IQan-IaaOG speetac1es usually presented at expo sitions, but they offer as an attrac- ton to visitors a fine line of noun tains, rivers, forests and assorted scenery of a grandeur and sub1imity such as can be equalIed in few other spots on theJ globes surface.
 The principal purpose of the cele- bration is to demonstrate to the world, or to such part of it as will come. that Alaska is not a half-froz- en, bare, barren and unproductive land but that it is capable of being cultural country. A1askans resent the idea that their country has no value beyond it's gold mines and forests.
 Uncle Sam has already reaped a rich harvest from Alaska, although the territory's natural resources have been scarcely more than touched. The territory cost originally $7.20O,00O, as previously stated, and it has since cost about $9,000,o80 for mainten- ance. its resources has brought over $225, ,ooO, ,O0O from the products of the mines, almost as much from the fish cries and over S$25iOOoaOoo from the fur industry, showing a. neat little profit of something like $45O, 900, 900 from the transaction
 The United States government is for Alaska by building a railroad from Seward to Fairbanks. This transpo line, which will pene- trate into the rich heart of the Land of the Sourdough, will cost about thirty-five millions, but it will cer- tainly prove a profitable investment. The one great drawback to the de- velopment of the Alaskan hinterland has been the high cost of transporta- ton. All merchandise brought into Fairbanks from the States has to pay a toll to the transpo ortation companies
 rJae a fn77 diTc and a half cents a pound to the cost of everything to eat. wear or use
 makes the cost of living in Fair banks a pretty expensive proposition.
 Alaska is now a fuIl-fledge Terri tory, with a legislature of its own, the first session of that Iaw-making body having been held in March three years ago. Travelling to the capital is no simple matter for many of the Alaskan Solons, some of the members having to make the journey of from 500 to 2,o00 miles .'nushing'' their way behind dog teams in long battles with blizzards in climate where zero weather in Winter is consider ed mild and baIrr7y