Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-11-13
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great length of the days, that growing season is
worth about 200 of our days. So that they are
enabled to grow crops suitable to take care of a
large population and take care of the stock that
they may produce. The crops are wheat, oats,
rye, barley, hay, and they have produced an alfalfa
winch makes a good crop. Its vast forests of tim
Der suitable for paper pulp are awaiting a ready
marker, while Its fisheries are the greatest on this
continent.
Mr. Miller of Washington have been over
nearly all of Alaska. l have gone into the hills
with my pack on my back. 1 have teamed what
rev provisions | had 200 or 300 miles with a dog
team out to my diggins. The greatest copper
mines on the face of the earth are within the
territory OF Alaska. You know how we searched
the world Tor metals during the war. We have 80
per cent of them in Alaska. They are there await.
ing the hand that will develop them.
Something has been said here of the reindeer
situation. There is no prettier sight in the world
tnan to see q thousand head of reindeer prazino
on d mountain side. The Aleutian islands are full
OF them. There are 10000 or 100000 reindeer IN
Alaska. They are a godsend to the natives. They
go out with their little herds. .An Indian or an
Eskimo may not have over 25 or 30 reindeer hnt
he herds them as a careful husbandman takes care
OF his little flock of sheep. Incidentally thew ara
cleaning out the wolves and lynxes and tho o+bor
predatory animals that infest the country Tbo
reindeer support the natives. And trulv heliovo
that with the great grazing lands that there are in
Alaska, the future development of the reindoor
DIS d substantial source OF meat supply for our
country is one OF the most promising that we have
before us. N"o
Now, the climate there is not bad. Over IN +ho
interior, in the Yukon valley, the atmosnbero &C.
dry, and with the temperature 25 deproas 49,
zero you can wear an ordinary hat all dav Iona
and your ears will not get cold. When Won % ort
TO the coast you get the moisture. Goino ouo,
from the coast into the Yukon valley voy, =
over a mountain chain some 1900 feet bieb ood
when you get over that chain you are in tbo 49,.
arctic slope. l have come out of that valIov MA.
the thermometer AZ degrees below zero. wboro :
couiu stay out doors all day without discomfort
and have dropped over that mountain chain on,r
~ miles and come out to the coast wboro 4n ~
thermometer was 8 degrees below zero and h., o~e
nearly persisted with the cold. The jntorior ia
cold, dry climate. Animals can forage oil r,,n.
in the interior country. "Aei
IL would surprise some of you to know tbot I.
that country the ground is eternally frovon ~
one has ever dug through the frost, and tbov 49,
been down a thousand feet. ""se
The fields of barley and rye and wbeat
grown on the Top OF ground that is frozen for .
thousand feet beneath. 1t thaws on tba
in the summer time. 1t gets very warm Thase
is daylight IL, 18 and "a hours in the DIV ~
crops mature quickly. They come right ~ 49,, ~
night, OF course, in the winter the nights ara ,onn
and dark and cold, but the summer season. ~
lightful. The thermometer goes up 70 ao ao y
30 in summer, but in the winter II becomes CIV
ingly cold. The coolest weather l ever saw ~ ~
Yukon valley was So degrees below zero Tha. ~ !.
cold weather. and 1t is dangerous weather. h,. =
you go down the Yukon river. and perhons sn
miles from the mouth. there is a Catholic rn,s., -
the Holy Cross mission. There is one Of he noa.
beautiful apple orchards have ever seen. perhons
20 acres OF the most beautiful young apple trees
Just coming into bearing. And grazing over brood
acres OF clover was one Of the finest herds ~ Yas
sey cattle ! have ever seen. All that in ! Iand ~.
is frozen. 1t Is a queer country. Every rule of ths
biologists Is reversed when YOU get to Alaska.
And | tell you, gentlemen, just as sure ~ coa
the future will unfold for Alaska and the Amers'