The Cordova daily times., 1919-09-06
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1919
OUTLOOK BRIGHT FOR ALASKA

The news from Washington during
the last few days has been of a more
encouraging nature, as far as Alaska
is concerned than has been the case
for years. 1t proves that administra-
ton and congressional circles are
waking up to the fact that Alaska has
infinite possibilities for contributing
to the future welfare and greatness of
the nation, and that a sincere and
practical effort is being made to make
available her resources.
Dispatches for the second time have
mentioned a somewhat mysterious
report made by a naval commission
which visited Alaska a short time
ago. The report is supposed to be
confidential" as yet, but we are not
inclined to be too inquisitive as to
how the correspondent obtained his
information. 1t is sufficient to know
that the commission seems to have
rendered an intelligent account Of
what they saw, and have shown a
more than customary degree Of intel
Iigence in making recommendation
they obtained during their stay in the
North. Tt has not always been the
I11OoO ant SC
sions have had the vision and prac-
teal sense that these naval men have
shown,
4 fact the significance of which
has been known to mariners and to
commercial organizations and indi-
vjduals on this coast for many years
is just beginning to be understood
by the navy authorities at Washing
ton, and by them, in course of time,
no doubt it will be transmitted to
other influential quarters in the gov
eminent and commercial circles of
the country. That fact is that Alaska
lies on the direct line of travel from
the United States to the Orient. In
other words, the shortest route be-
tween Puget Sound and Yokohama,
FOngkOng, Shanghai and other Asia
tic ports runs but a few miles off the
Alaska coast. Sailing due west from
Cape Flattery, a vessel would touch
at the Aleutian islands on her way to
Asiatic ports, and in this manner
save several hundred miles as be-
tween San Francisco and the same
ports. This is what is known as the
great circle route. The significance
of this to Alaska is apparent
With the opening of Alaska's i'm
mense coal and oil fields, instead of
shipping these fuel products Outside
and necessitating their being again
carried back past the point of pro-
ductiOn in the bunkers and tanks
Of ocean carriers Ell route to the
Orient, it is within the range of pos
sibility that immense fuel depots will
be established at points along the
Alaska coast for the use of merchant
men, just as it is now proposed to
do for the use of the navy. The
Oriental trade is bound to increase
enormously within the next few
years. Commerce has been disrupt
ed by the war, and when it is re-
sumed in normal volume new wants
will be created and new fields opened.
Alaska will be in position to greatly
benefit thereby.
Cordova, in common with Seward
and Anchorage, as the coming great
shipping point for fuel, both coal and
oil, will be greatly benefited by the
new order of things. 1t is not at all
unlikely that in few years Cordova
will be city of great Importance, with
a well-defined place in the shipping
trade between the United States and
the Orient
Altogether the outlook for Alaska
is more encouraging than it has been
for years. The ephemeral prosperity
of Interior Alaska, resulting from the
exploiting of it's surface gold depos-
it's, is on the wane, but the more SUBJ
stantial wealth of mineral, of coal,
of oil, is yet to be given to the world,
nnd with this develnnment an Alaska