El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-04-01

on board the ship without urging and
thrives under these changes.
Fish Great Asset.
The great possibilities Of southeastern
Alaska lie in its fish, its woods and its min
erals The beds Of the ocean are paved
with halibut. and millions OF salmon are
caught and canned every season There
are fish-paclking establishments on many OF
the islands. and the towns are devoted 70
fishing and mining. Ketchikan Is perhaps
the chief fishing center. but there are large
canneries also at Petersburg, Wrangell, Jun
eau and sitka- The salmon run every sea
son and the canneries are located near the
mouths Of the streams. where the fish can
be brought in boats and cooked and packed
for all parts OF the world.
Petersburg Is the headquarters Of a mos
quito fleet that brings in halibut all the
ships many thousand pounds Of salmon dur
Wrangen An Old Town.
Just below Petersburg Is Wrangell. one Of
the oldest towns in Alaska. II was estab-
lished by the Russians IS years ago. and
was named after baron Wrangell, a Russian
official. who did much TO keep the Hud-
sons Bay company out OF Alaska. That
company tried 20 establish a trading sta
ton. and when Wrangeli drove its men off.
it brought in a claim against the Russians
for damages OF 500, 900. Wrangeu fought
this claim in the courts and won II, with
the result that the Hudson's Day company
was forced 20 keep away from the Russian
dominions. and TO pay rent OF 1000 otter
then occupying.
The wrangell OF today has stores. hotels,
saw mills and canneries. Il has three
churches. public school and electric
light plant Its chief industries are fish
ing. numbering. mining and fur trading.
juneau, the Capital.
Juneau. the capital Of Alaska, Is situated
on the mainland near the mouth OF the Lynn
canal, a wide ford that runs far into the
interior. ending at skagway. the chief por;
for Dawson and the mines Of the KIondike.
Il is more than a hundred miles almost d.
rectly north OF Sitl1a, the two great islands
of Baranof and Admiralty lying between.
II IS the largest city in Alaska and Is also
one OF the chief mining centers. A great
part OF the trade OF the territory passes
through Il, and it does much Of the bank
ing and financing It IL a live, up-tn-date
little city. and Il will continue to grow for
many years to come.
At Skagway begins the White Pass rail-
way. which leads over the mountain to
White Horse. at the head Of navigation on
the Yukon. It is the end OF the usual tour
ist route through Alaska, but II Is really
only the stopping off place on the edge OF
Puget sound and make the trip through the
islands and back. without knowing anything
u the far north. They see only g small
part OF southeastern Alaska, and from this
they judge the whole.
Drops from 5000 to 500.
Skagway now feeds on the tourists At
the time Of the gold excitement IN the
KlOndilSe il was the main entrance TO the
mining regions there. and It had then about
$4,000 population. II has not now more
than 500.
Halnes. which lies on Lynn canal just be-
low Skagway. is still smaller Il has
little fishing, a few stores a public school
and a Presbyterian mission. It has also the
only army post in southeastern Alaska This
IL Fort Seward, lying west Of the town.
The post has beautiful site. its buildings
being situated on a low hill with a hundred
acres or more Of lawn running from them
down to the water There are 80 or 40
nHwaam
homes OF the officers. The post has about
$50 men.
The greater part Of southeastern Alaska
IS practically unknown. How many OF you
have heard OF Prince OF Wales Island2 It
is 40 miles long and 40 miles wide. u is
almost half as big as the state Of Massa-
chusetts. and Il has great copper mines that
are now working and gold mines and quar-
res Of marble. Revillagigedo. on which
Ketchkan lies. Is 80 miles long and Ba-
ranof and Chichagof are, together Of about
the same size as Prince OF wales Island
Gold and other minerals have been found
upon all Of these islands. Admiralty ISL
and. which lies east OF Chichagof is 100
miles long by 30 miles wide and It is in she
heart Of country known to have minerals
Of various kinds.
Rand Of the Northwest"
On the opposite coast lies Sumdum bay,
where the great Juneau gold belt may be
said to begin. This belt is THE Rand Of
southwest. along the coast for something
like 200 miles. Juneau lies in its center
and Douglas Island from which sec. 900 400
worth OF gold has been taken. is a part Of
e.. The Juneau gold region has already
produced over $40, 900 900. It contains vast
quantities Of low grade ore. and It promises
to be a mining or gold manufacturing sem
ter for many generations 10 come.
The Alaskan Gold Belt.
During my stay here IN Juneau I asked
B. /. Thane. the manager Of the big Alaska
Gastinesu mine, TO tell me something about
this gold belt. He said
The Juneau gold belt is a part Of the
great belt OF gold-bearing rock that runs
north and south along the western side Of
and crops out in British Columbia. II Is
found in the United States IN the Sierra
Nevada and other mountains, and from