The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-03-07
ALASKAH MAKING
AMAZING STRIDES
INDUSTRIES GROW
Wonderful Development Is
On in Great Northern
Land
WATCH ALASKA GROW
Agriculture Flourisfing and Public
Schools Number II with
$500 Pupils

Keep your eye on Alaska! Peace
is going to mean lot to that north
crn adopted child of Uncle Sam.
And Alaska is laboratory of demo-
cracy, too-there were Government
owned railroads in Alaska, for in
stance, long before the war brought
Government operation of the roads
in the main United States.
The United States Department of
the Interior, which has more to 90
with Alaska than any other Govern
ment agency, in an official report
predicts a drive of settlers to Alaska
1t is expected thousands of men and
women will leave the states to take
up life in the peninsula which we
bought from Russia. and inclded
among them will be many soldiers,
seekers of more adventure and the
outdoor life. Speaking of these sol
diers, the Interior Department says:
'These men, drawn from the more
settled and staid portions of the Unit
cd States and thrown into the atmos-
= phere Of adventure and outdoor life
will not be content to settle down to
their former hu1ndrum existence in
The factory, the office, but that they
will seek wider horizon and great
er possibilities than offered by their
return to former occupations; great
immigration to Alaska is looked for
when once the armies of the world
are disbanded."
The annual Alaskan report just
made to Congress shows wonderful
strides made by the territory The
white population is now estimated at
10000
Trade with the United States dur
ing the last fiscal year was $131, ,000,-
600, more than the trade between the
United States and the Philippines,
Porto Rico or Hawaii.
Agriculture is fourishing, and AL
askan farmers are reaching out into
northern Siberia for a market for
vegetables which will be shipped in a
dehydrated form In the Tanana Val
ley the farmers have developed a
strain of Siberian wheat which makes
fine -four, ripens qickly and can be
grown in all valleys Of Alaska. By
next year, it is promised that Alaska
will raise all the wheat needed in the
territory for flour, and later on the
territory may export wheat and flour
to the United States and Asia.
There are II public schools, with
$500 pupils.
Six salmon hatcheries are operated
by the Government and four by pri-
vate companies, and there is $47,0O0,-
900 invested in the salmon industry.
Fishery products totalled $51 1,496,-
$50. While over 5000 seal skins
were taken an increase of 10000 seals
is reported. Furs worth $1,338,6 500
were shipped out.
The mineral production was S40,-
70O,195.
The Government railroad made
good progress, the main line to Fair
banks has been extended from Sew
ard to Montana Creek, 210 miles, and
the branch line into the coal fields
now runs from Matanuska Junction
TO Chickaloon, in the heat of the coal
fields. The Alaska northern railroad
has been overhaufed and put into
working order.
The Government suffered a loss in
revenue of nearly 100000 due to pro-
hibition.
The United States paid $7,200,000
for Alaska Last year the minerals
shipped from Alaska to the United
States were five times greater IL
value than the prchase price OF the
whole peninsula; the fishery products
were seven times greater, and the
total export and import trade between
the mother country and her adopted
child was twenty times greater
When Secretary of State Seward
bought Alaska from the Russian
minister, Congress yelled its head off
and here is what some of the brigh!
and shining lights among our states
men had to say:
Alaska is an inhospitable, wretch
ed and God-forsaken region, worth
nothing, but a positive injury and in
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