The Cordova daily times., 1918-02-21
ALASKA BUREAU
GIVEN CREDIT
FOR GOOD WORK


merelai Club has made mystery mol
longer possible. In the office. library
and exhibits of the Alaska Bureau
are gathered all the facts relating to
Alaska. Miners, farmers, fishermen
and government officials, all come to
the offices of the Alaska Bureau to
learn of Alaska.
The Alaska Bureau was organized
in 1911 by men conversant with Alas
kan conditions, who realized the need
of making known the truth about
Alaska, and is maintained by Seattle
business men for the one purpose of
aiding IN the rational development Of
Alaska, J. l.. Mcpherson, a civil and
mining engineer, has been in charge
of this work as secretary and manager
since its inception His wide and
technical knowledge of Alaska, gained
through his extensive engineering
work in the Northland, especially
qualities him for such work.
The First Step
The first step in the formation of
the Bureau was to collect available
data pertaining to Alaska. The mat
ter collected included all government
al and authoritative reports, maps,
photographs and other information.
To aid in the work of enlightment, a
complete exhibit of Alaskan resources
and products was gathered; lantern
slides of Alaskan views were prepared
for showing in connection with lecture
tours throughout the country. Know
ing that even our government Off
Gals could not rightly visualize condi-
lions in Alaska and that tremendous
possibilities were being overlooked
while dormant members of the execu-
tive committee of the Bureau were
sent to Washington during congress-
ional sessions to aid the delegate from
Alaska in endeavoring to obtain neces-
to Alaskan development.
So much misinformation relating to
ALASKA had been circulated that, prior
to the issuance of a descriptive book
let which had been prepared by the
Bureau, it was deemed expedient to
prove to representative persons that
the facts being put forth concerning
the northern territory were not in any
manner exaggerated. Therefore, a
large party of representative men and
women were taken on a 5000 mile
tour of the Northland The partici-
pants in this educational tour were
afforded a view of all of Alaska's in
dustries and resources. The party in
Guided a personal representative of
President Woodrow Wilson, the Hon
Seth Mann, of San Francisco, and
some twelve representatives of the
press from different sections of the
United States. After proving to them
that the Alaska Bureaus publication
contained only facts, copies of this
pamphlet were then sent to every edi-
tor, writer and librarian in the coun.
try. This publication has now become
an annual and is we'll known by its
title, Alaska, Our Frontier Wonder
land" Requests for it are received
from all sections of the states and
foreign countries. A prominent gov
eminent official, recently addressing
the executive committee of the Alas
ka Bureau, states: "If you had done
nothing more than make this publica-
ton possible, you would have cause
for qualification and would have iusti-
fled all your efforts and work in be-
half of Alaska"
Bureau Honored by President Wilson
To impress on congress the facts
relative to Alaska, the entire library
exhibit and office effects of the Alas
ka Bureau were shipped to Washing
ton, D. c., and installed In the senate
office building in the winter of 1854
Lectures were given daily. This work
was honored by a special visit from
President Wilson, who evinced marked
interest in the complete library,
graphical charts and exhibit of re-
sources compiled by the Bureau. The
charts are the most complete in exis-
tence and illustrate the exact physical
and climatic conditions of Alaska and
the possibilities of its resources.
Probably the most unusual, phase of
the work Of the Alaska Bureau of the
Seattle Chamber of Commerce and
Commercial Club is that of aiding the
Alaska delegate to obtain proper legis-
lation that will permit Alaska to de-
velop. In this work the Burea must
use great discretion and care, for Sec
tional, divisional and political differ
ences and controversies in Alaska
must be avoided.-Town Development,